Pirates of the Caribbean: The Isle of Spirits
by Happy Feet
Summary: The Isle of Spirits is a legend to most pirates. But since Jack Sparrow knows all about it and that it's real... Blackbeard is in need of his assistance to find the island.
1. Cabin Deal

Disclaimer : I don't claim to own any of the characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney owns them. Go Disney!! :) Don't sue. I don't own the actors (even though I wish I did... ::begins to drool at the thought of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom::) or anything like that.  
  
I do however own Catharine "Black Cat" DeVries and the story. But I don't own Blackbeard. I don't know who owns him but I sure don't. He might be from that book Treasure Island or he could just be one of the more famous pirates of history that I just don't remember. Either way - I don't own him. Again - don't sue.  
  
Oh, and a warning. Yes - it's already sinister and the story hasn't even started! Mwahaha! If you haven't seen the first movie ... there are of course going to be spoilers in this... so, go see it then read this. :)  
  
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Chapter 1 : Cabin Deal  
  
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The sea breeze lapped at his cheeks, it sailed through his jet black hair, and it howled over his hat. Just being at one with the ocean was good enough for this pirate. Captain John Blackbeard.  
  
Blackbeard was one of the most feared pirates, considering that he just took whatever he wanted and killed without thinking about it, but other than that he was a very normal pirate. He followed the code perfectly and he never broke a deal. He considered his word one of the best of all pirates. Whether he be a bad pirate or not. It was his word that would win over who he needed most on his side to get what he wanted most. He would need the most cruel, most notorious pirate ever. Catharine "Black Cat" DeVries. Yes, a woman. How a woman ever became so cruel and so good with a sword was beyond him, but somehow it happened.  
  
Her name was even more feared than his was. Blackbeard supposed that she looked quite manly to be feared above all other pirates. There might have been one that would have been above her but he was killed by the rogue pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. Captain Barbossa was spit out from Hell he was so evil. Most said that if Catharine were ever to die that she would come back, because Hell would not even have a place for her. But Blackbeard thought nothing of it. He needed her and he knew that she would gladly walk the plank for the opportunity that he would give her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ah, Miss DeVries." Blackbeard held out his hand and led the Black Cat into his cabin.  
  
"Captain, you will call me Cat. I will not need to tell you again." Her voice was harsh. Not gruff and deep, just harsh and full of hatred.  
  
"Indeed." He pulled himself a chair and motioned for her to take a seat.  
  
"I understand that you are in need of my services. Why?"   
  
*This lass goes right to the core ... fiesty this one. Exactly what I be needin'.*  
  
"Yes. Ye've heard o' the Black Pearl, aye?" By the look on her face, Blackbeard figured that she thought it only a story. "Well, I need the Captain from the Pearl. His name ... Captain Jack Sparrow."  
  
"I pity you. Believing in such stories, and to think I thought so highly of you, Captain." The Black Cat walked straight to the door.  
  
"Then you must believe in the Isle of Spirits, milady, or is that just a stah-ry (story) as well?"  
  
"Isle of Spirits?" She turned around to face him. "All right - I'm listening."  
  
"Captain Sparrow be the only one to 'ave set foot on the island and lived to tell the tale. As ye know, it is a place o' myths and legends where pirates of long ago buried their loot of treasure. The obstacles kill anyone who gets too close to the treasure, and only one has seen it. A journey to the Isle be a feat of bravery for any pirate." Blackbeard reached into his desk and pulled out a rolled piece of parchment. "And I 'ave the map."  
  
"You have my full attention. How much do I get of the deal?" She sat down and looked at the map, her eyes lighting up as she moved her finger along the paper.  
  
"50 percent. Even. You and meself, Cat." He held out his hand and Cat willingly took it. "I'm a man of me word, Cat, ye be in good hands."  
  
"I better be." Cat eyed the map again and then let her eyes drift up to Blackbeard's beady eyes.   
  
*Her eyes are the color of the sea before a storm.* He smiled at her as she looked at the map one more time.  
  
"How do I find this... Pearl?"   
  
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A/N : How 'bout it? Read and Review please. I'm trying my darndest to make them sound very pirate-ish. I know that I haven't made Cat all pirate-y, she's too smart and evil to sound like a pirate. She however does know all that lovely pirate slang, though. :)  
  
Hope ye all liked me stah-ry (story) so far. Next chapter to be up soon and 'ave all o' ye fav'o'rat swashbucklin' pirates. :) 


	2. Old Friends and Storms

Disclaimer : Nope, still don't own a thing! The only thing I can rightfully claim as my own is Catharine "Black Cat" DeVries and the storyline. Alas - Disney owns this stuff. Don't sue. And the actors own themselves so - no matter how you look at it - I don't own anything!  
  
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Chapter 2 : Old Friends and Storms  
  
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"Cap'n, there's a ship a-sailing a good distance behind us." The meek voice of a small man said below.   
  
Captain Jack Sparrow looked down at him and squinted. "Looks like they have to catch me first, aye?" He smiled as he steered the ship. It was finally his again ... after his first mate had commited mutany against him and having to escape that island twice. Well, getting saved twice. Either way, he had been close to dying twice and had gotten out of it.  
  
"But, Cap'n, that bloody parrot said it be a pirate ship."  
  
"Parrot? Oh, yeah, tongueless'." Sparrow jerked his head back to look in the distance. He jerked so hard that he nearly knocked himself off balance. "Pirates, eh? The Black Pearl is the only pirate ship in these waters, Master Higgins."  
  
"I was just sayin' Cap'n." Higgins went below deck and Jack Sparrow kept his eyes on the ship behind him.  
  
The Black Pearl was, of course, the fastest ship. Faster than all of the King's Naval ships. There were no worries what-so-ever that the ship that was beyond the horizon would ever be able to catch up. Jack smiled, steadying his right hand on his sword and his left hand on a peg of the wheel. He did not look back at the ship for the rest of the night.  
  
**********  
  
The crew awoke the next morning to see no sight of the ship that had been following them the night before. A few talks were heard, but nothing was mentioned to the Captain as the Black Pearl dropped anchor and lowered its sails at a small marina.   
  
"Higgins." Jack twisted his hand awkwardly in a 'come-here' motion. Higgins literally flew to him. "I won't be going on land. Get all the men to get all of our supplies."  
  
"And woman too. Don't forget Anamaria."  
  
Sparrow rolled his eyes and started mumbling something about not deserving something-or-other. Higgins shuffled his feet rather quickly and was on land in no time.  
  
"Women..." Jack huffed as his thoughts were still on Anamaria. He reached for a bottle of rum and looked at his compass. He tilted up the bottle, but nothing came out. He peered inside and furrowed his brow as he pocketed the compass. Grabbing for another one he saw a shadow creep around the corner of the ship. Jack got up and sauntered to the other side of the ship and looked on land. He shrugged and went back to the bottle he just grabbed. When he tilted it up he heard a board squeak. He sat up straight and looked around. Shrugging it off he tilted up the bottle again. Another squeak.  
  
"Who's on me ship?" Jack growled as he quickly stood. "Ah. I see you're afraid of Captain Jack Sparrow. Mind you... you will call me Captain. Savvy?" He laid his hand on his sword, waiting.  
  
"Jack!" Sparrow's eyes widened as he recognized the voice.  
  
"Bootstrap?" Jack turned around aimlessly, his arms bent and held up in front of him as if he were going to fight someone, but with no fists. He came face to face with Will Turner. "Oh, it's just you." Jack took in a deep breath and reached for his bottle of rum again, but he stopped mid-grab and stood straight back up and turned back to face Will. His hair whipped around and hit him in the face.   
  
*Ow.* Jack put one hand to his now hurt eye. With the other eye he squinted and looked hard at Will. He looked well - he had a new hat, too.  
  
"New hat?" Will nodded.  
  
"Hello Mr. Sparrow." A woman's voice.  
  
"'Lizabeth? 'Lizabeth Swann?" Jack pointed at the well dressed Elizabeth Swann. Her hair was blowing in the breeze as she stepped up beside Will.  
  
"It's Elizabeth Turner now." The couple smiled at each other and Elizabeth held up her ring finger.  
  
Jack's mouth dropped slightly open and then he narrowed his eyes. "You know how I love weddings! You didn't invite me? I saved both of your lives! Or don't you remember Captain Barbossa and his crew o' evil cursed pirates?" There was a long and awkward pause. "And Jack?!? Don't tell me you don't remember Jack?" He put his hand to his forehead as if he felt a headache coming on.  
  
"We are awfully sorry, mate." Will held out his hand to try and calm down Jack.  
  
"No not me, ye scurvy swab! The monkey! Remember? The monkey's name was Jack." Sparrow pointed out towards the water as if the monkey would pop out in the middle of the waves. "And you will call me Captain."  
  
Elizabeth and Will looked at each other. Jack took a deep breath and looked at them.   
  
"I have rum." He started. "Lots of rum." Jack fell beside the bottle that he had been trying to get a drink out of earlier. He looked at it and then took a swig, wiping away the small beads of the rum off his beard. "Want some?"  
  
"No." Elizabeth spoke up before Will could say yes. "Jack we were - "  
  
"Captain." Another mouthful.  
  
"Captain Jack, we were - "  
  
"Captain Jack Sparrow. Captain!" He burped and reached for another bottle.  
  
"Captain Jack Sparrow, we were - "  
  
"What? Too in love to care about your favorite Captain?" Jack raised his voice high, mocking Elizabeth's voice. He stood up and looked at Will and Elizabeth. "I have feelings too you know."  
  
"We were going to invite you, but we eloped." Will found the chance to tell it all, but Jack wasn't listening.  
  
Jack began to walk around the deck, flinging his hands everywhere and spilling rum on the deck as he went. "I bet it was great. Do you have any paintings for me? One that I can hang in me cabin? Or did you just come to tell me and make me miserable - what?" He tried to stop the sideways walking, but had to grab onto Will's shoulder. Jack held up the hand with the bottle of rum in it and pointed it at Will. "Eloped?"  
  
"Yes." Elizabeth smiled.  
  
"That's what we we're here... to tell you that -" Will included.  
  
"To tell me what?" Sparrow took another sip and fell down drunk.  
  
**********  
  
"Do ye see that thar ship with the black sails billowing?" Blackbeard pointed out from the mainland and towards the marina where the Black Pearl was anchored. "Do ye?"  
  
"Yes, of course. I'm not blind, you know." Catharine rolled her eyes and looked out towards the ship. "Now, tell me again. I want to make sure I do nothing wrong."  
  
"Yer goin' to climb abah-rd (aboard) the Pearl and wait for the storm that'll come 'round tonight."  
  
"What time?" Catharine tightened the leather thong strap around her ankle and put a dagger in between her skin and the leather.  
  
"Bloody hell, Cat, I'm not mother nature's time clock."  
  
"What?" She pulled the dagger out as quickly as she had placed it there. The sharpest part was under his chin.  
  
"Around midnight, I'd wager."  
  
Cat put the dagger back and nodded her agreement.  
  
"Then ye'll knock off a few o' the crew members during the storm. Since there will be a lot of chaos 'n confusion." Blackbeard continued on, rubbing his neck where Catharine had held the dagger. "Ye'll git on the Captain's good graces and make him sail to Palm Rock in a month's time. Ye must have Sparrow's full trust by then. I'll explain more once we're there."  
  
"Right. Now, how are you suggesting that I shall get aboard the ship without any one person noticing?"  
  
"Right then, follow me, Cat."  
  
**********  
  
"Storm's a-brewin' Cap'n. We must let down the sails!" Higgins again, this time his voice even higher pitched.  
  
Higgins wasn't wrong - it was one of the worst storms that Jack Sparrow could remember in all of his long years of being a pirate. Even Elizabeth was helping out the crew during this storm. When it was over, 10 out of the 20 crew members had been washed off deck and lost to the sea. Captain Sparrow didn't think that the storm had been that tough, but the waves had been rather high, or perhaps Lady Luck wasn't on his side anymore. They had a funeral fit for any good pirate for those lost to the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker.  
  
**********  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Catharine felt a sharp pain as a sword had poked the skin of her flesh. She opened one eye and closed it back, not wanting to get up.  
  
"I won't ask you again. Who are you?"  
  
*This boy is persistant. Too bad I cannot kill him for piercing the skin... but oh... his death will come.* She smiled as she thought of all the different ways to mame and torture him before she finally would let him shoot himself.  
  
Another poke that tore her skin. This time she opened her eyes wide and tried to act frightened. It was harder than it sounded.  
  
"Beg ye pardon sir - I didn't want to be on that island anymore."  
  
"So you're a stow-away?" His tone wasn't as harsh.  
  
*Ha! Silly boy.*  
  
"Yes. Forgive me." Catharine stood up and smiled politely at him.  
  
"We don't like stow-aways. Especially since this is a pirate ship." He moved the sword quickly to her heart, but with an even quicker move, Catharine over took him with her dagger and made the man twist his wrist to give up his sword.  
  
"Pirate ship?" Cat arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Who are you?" The man's eyes were wide, but not fearful.  
  
"No, sir. You tell me who you are first. 'Tis only polite." She twirled his sword in the air and pointed the hilt back towards him.  
  
"Will." He took the sword, seeming a bit more curious than he had been.  
  
"Nice, strong name. I'm Cat. Also, a nice, strong name."  
  
"I'm married."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"You're very quick. You must be a pirate."  
  
"Are you challenging me?" Catharine half-wished she was still pointing his own sword back at him.  
  
"Course not. You're a woman."  
  
"Meaning... ?" Now she was fully wishing that she was pointing his own sword at him again.  
  
"I would never fight a woman."  
  
"Would you like to?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Scared?" Catharine smirked.  
  
"No." Will handed her his sword and took one of the swords in a nearby box.   
  
"Then you *do* challenge me?"  
  
"Very well. I challenge you, Cat."  
  
"Don't go easy, Will."  
  
"Don't plan on it."  
  
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A/N : I absolutely love that last scene (it's supposed to go fast). It gets ten times better in the next part. :) Mwahaha! I get to finally write some sword fights! Oh, yes - the next part is chockfull of 'em! Everybody seems to fight in the next one. Hehe!  
  
Read and review. Tell me if I start to make the characters go out of character. I try not to. All help greatly appreciated. No flames - just constructive criticisms. 'Cause those are very good. :) 


	3. Raspberry Rum

Disclaimer : Nope, still don't own anything. Promise. Nothing's changed. Not a thing.   
  
Oh, and if you're wondering how I can come up with the chapters so quickly, I already have the entire plot ready. :) And, yes, everything will be explained later on. Don't worry.  
  
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Chapter 3 - Raspberry Rum  
  
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Elizabeth woke up and turned to where Will had been lying. She put her head on his soft shoulder ... almost a little too soft of a shoulder at that. A pillow? She sat upright and saw that Will had already gotten up.  
  
"He didn't even wake me." Her eyes roamed around the crowded room and she thought that she should get ready for the day.  
  
As she was getting ready she heard the clanging of metal against metal. A swordfight.   
  
"At this time in the morning? Honestly." Elizabeth looked at the corsette that she had packed and decided against wearing it. "Will and Jack still amaze me."  
  
******  
  
Catharine's fiery red hair glinted in the morning sunlight as the fight moved onto the deck. It was her idea to move up onto the deck and all she needed to do was push Will back and overpower him for a little while.  
  
"You are amazing." Will came over with his sword.  
  
"I know." She blocked and twirled away from him. Her skirts dancing around in the wind from the sea.  
  
"And you're left-handed."  
  
"You're stating the obvious again." He stepped forward and then back, trying to confuse her on the foot work. She on the other hand came across as soon as he stepped back, catching him off his guard and taking a slice of his hand. She drew back and decided that she liked blocking his moves better.  
  
"You're finding pleasure in this." Will tried not to let the pain get to him. This bonnie lass was good. So good that he wished he hadn't let her sly-talked him into this duel. Female nature, is what he figured.  
  
"Aren't you?" He came over head but she rolled under his legs and could have had him through, but she clearly was enjoying showing up a man on how much better he could be.  
  
"Well - if you must know... Elizabeth?"  
  
Catharine turned around and had just the right amount of time to duck before the very well-dressed lady swung a long wooden plank towards her head. A very loud thud was heard and the clanging of the wood against the wood of the deck. Catharine stood back up just in time to see her not-so-worthy opponent fall to the ground unconcious.  
  
"Couldn't'a done it better myself." Cat smiled at the lady. She didn't smile back.  
  
******  
  
"Swashbucklin' pirates! Reamp! Pirates!" Captain Jack Sparrow sat up and looked at the parrot that was standing just inside his cabin. "Swashbucklin' pirates! Reamp! Polly want a cracker, Jacker."  
  
"If you don't shut that hole in your face I'll cook you up and eat you for breakfast. You'll make a nice side to go along with the rum." Jack was mumbling so much that he really said, "Ifu don'shup erfas Ilook yerup'n eaterfa brekfstye'll many ssss idtoog rum."  
  
He covered his ears up from the screeching voice of the parrot. But the parrot was delivering a message and wasn't easily shrugged off.  
  
"Reamp! Pirates. Swasbucklin'! Reamp!"  
  
"Bloody bird!" Jack tried to reach for the bird, but in doing so fell out of the bed and continued rolling until he hit the wall. He groaned a little and pushed himself up to a sitting position and felt slightly in need of a swig or two. Looking around for more rum, he found the parrot sitting on his lap.  
  
"Reamp! Polly want a cracker, Jacker."  
  
Jack gave a half smile and grabbed the bird. "That's Captain Jacker to you, mate." He threw the parrot out the door and heard a large thud and then a sound of wood against wood. "My ship! My bloody ship! Who's doin' that?!!?"  
  
He used the wall for leverage and pushed himself up. Finally finding his balance he walked forward and realized he didn't have his sword or hat on. Every good pirate must have his sword. And a hat. A nice hat, too. He shoved his hat on and tilted it to the side then he strapped his sword on, and thought himself quite dashing.  
  
******  
  
"What's the matter?" Cat mainly said to herself. If looks could kill, Cat would have long been dead. "Cat got your tongue?" She began to laugh aimlessly as she thought about her joke.  
  
Elizabeth turned and starting yelling for help. Cat walked up behind her and hit her in the head with the hilt of her sword. Another thud, however, not as loud as the two before it, but it sang like sweet music in Cat's ears. She was having a blast.  
  
"I hope you're good with a broom, luv." The voice came from behind her and she slowly turned to face the owner of the voice. He was standing tall, not moving a muscle. "I don't like people makin' dents in me ship."  
  
"Well, if I see any people doing that, I'll be the first to let you know." Cat smiled curtly and turned to walk away.  
  
"Wait just one crabby lobster minute." He stepped forward and Cat looked at the man in awe.  
  
"Are you ... drunk?" Cat watched as his arms flailed around as if detached from his body.  
  
"You're..." He pointed one hand at her and it looked rather deformed, and yet it wasn't alarming her as if she had already gotten use to the fact that the man was a bit eccentric. "The Black Cat."  
  
"What?" Cat found herself in a tangle. "I have no idea who you're talking about, Captain."  
  
"Not drunk." The Captain pulled his sword out and let it glint in the sunlight. "And you are the Black Cat."  
  
Catharine watched in amazement as the Captain turned off from being the drunken side-step-walker to swashbuckler extraordinaire. She lifted her sword up in front of her face. Blackbeard would have shot her dead if he could have seen her fighting the one pirate who she was suppose to bring alive and well to him.  
  
"Call me Cat."   
  
They circled each other for a few seconds. Captain Sparrow took off his jacket and made a few quick steps.   
  
"You'd think they'd call you the Red Cat." Cat just looked at him, bored because he wasn't making a move, yet.  
  
"Black is for the evil, Captain. I'm heartless."  
  
"Pity. We would have had such a great time."  
  
Catharine took the first lunge and he blocked, but she came at him from above the next time and nearly had him.  
  
"You're quite good Miss DeVries - your stories do not do you justice." Jack pushed his sword against hers causing her to have to regroup. "But, you haven't fought the Captain of the Black Pearl."  
  
She swung her sword at an angle heading for his face, but he stopped her and grabbed her right hand pulling her towards him.   
  
"But I expected a bit more, Cat, I must admit." Cat smelled the rum on his breath. She struggled free from his grasp, but his grip held tight. She hurled herself back, causing him to have to roll over her. During the roll she kicked him and he released his hold of her.  
  
"That's because I have a surprise for you." Catharine popped the sword from her left hand to her right hand. "I'm not left-handed."  
  
"Well yo ho, split my britches!" Jack swung his arms around wildly again and he pursed his lips towards her.  
  
"Perhaps at a later date. I'm engaged at the moment." The clash of metal against metal was heard again, this time stronger with the more power that Cat held behind her sword. Jack hopped up onto a sail and cut a rope sending him up towards the highest mast. Cat followed suit and landed right beside him and clung to a black sail closest to her before Jack could land a good blow to her shoulder. She kicked out her foot causing the Captain to lose his balance for a few moments, but he quickly regained it. But not before she was back on the mast and coming through with a thrust to his middle. He jumped back and she went for another thrust, but lost her balance and nearly fell off. She was holding on with both hands, her sword now down on the deck and the Captain was over her holding out his hand.  
  
"'Tis not good form to let a maiden such as yourself die from falling." He grabbed her hand and slid down to the deck. She pulled free and went after her sword. Alas, opponent number one had his grubby hands on it.  
  
"Sparrow... I have met my match in sword play."   
  
"Oh, no - we're not done yet. Give her back her sword." He glanced at Will and sauntered a little bit towards him grabbing the sword and handing it to Catharine. "And, for the love of the Black Pearl, it's Captain Sparrow."  
  
"Captain - " She took her sword and felt the weight of it. "Might I be so bold as to say you smell like rum."  
  
"Do I?" Jack Sparrow lifted up his dueling arm and sniffed his shirt sleeve.  
  
"Yes, rum and raspberries." And with that she popped his sword out of his hand and knocked him down to the deck floor. "Now - Captain - I have a bargain for you to consider."  
  
"How'd you do that?" Sparrow looked at her in awe as she now held his sword and her own.  
  
"Little something I learned from a samurai back in Asia." She cocked her head and smirked. "Back to the bargain." Cat set his sword on the deck board beside him and sheathed her own.  
  
"I would like to -"  
  
"Do you want to be a part of me crew, luv?" He grabbed his sword and used it as a cane to push himself up. The loopiness had returned after the fight. His hips swiveled when he walked and his eyes opened and closed as if he were trying to bring her into focus.  
  
Catharine was taken aback by the sudden invite into the crew. "Why, yes, but -"  
  
"Then it's settled!" Sparrow put his arm around her shoulders and began to lead her to his cabin. He swerved in his walkings and Cat had no choice but to help him along "I'll have to teach you the li'l song I made up. It goes like this ... "   
  
******  
  
"I think she might have pushed over the crew, Jack." Will Turner was sitting in Jack's chair when Jack walked in.  
  
"Nonsense. She could barely take me on." Sparrow eyed the seat that Will was in and smacked his lips as he pulled out a small flask.  
  
"She took me on alright." Will stood up and went towards a wall that had a world map that had little red X's on it where treasure was supposedly at.  
  
"Oh, come off it lad. She didn't actually knock you out. Your dear bonnie lass Elizabeth did you that favor." Jack smiled and sauntered over to the desk, taking a few sips from the flask and giving a hearty 'ah' after each swig.  
  
"Have I ever steered you wrong before, mate?" Jack took a seat and put up his feet and tilted his hat over his eyes.  
  
"There's always a chance for a mistake. You're not perfect." Will stormed out and slammed the door.  
  
"I'm always perfect. I'm the great Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack called after Will. "Savvy!!??!"  
  
"Reamp! Cracker Jacker!" The blasted, bloody parrot was just outside of the cabin and Jack was not about to let that crack-pot bird in.  
  
********  
  
"Ah, Palm Rock. Now alls we 'ave to do, mates, is to wait for our belov'd Black Cat to bring us the Cap'n of the Pearl." Blackbeard's crew grunted their approval and set anchor as they landed on the shores of Palm Rock. In a months time, the Black Pearl would be sailing in to its doom.  
  
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A/N : Mwahaha! Third chapter. Swordfighting is actually hard to write. It was fun though. Hope you can follow it - I tried acting it out and then typing my actions down - and amazingly it worked. Who'd have guessed it, eh?  
  
What about that weirded out bird? I love it! Expect to see the parrot throughout the fic. He was only suppose to be in a few times and I never thought I'd make him say 'Polly want a cracker, Jacker." LoL. :)  
  
I love reading the reviews I get. I love good and well thought of criticisms. I'm not the best writer and I know it. Any help is greatly appreciated. 


	4. What Dreams May Come

Disclaimer : Guess what? Still don't own a thing. Not Jack, not Will, not Elizabeth, not Blackbeard, not Higgins (cuz I think that's character in the movie... lol), not Anna Maria, not the parrot (I do however own the phrase, 'cracker jacker'), not the ship, not anything that relates to the characters or the stuff in the movie.   
  
I do own this story however, Cat DeVries (pronounced... Duh-Vree... rhymes with free), and Palm Rock.   
  
To all my wonderful readers : If you haven't guessed it already, I try to answer the questions that you ask in the reviews. Mwahahaha!  
  
No Elizabeth hasn't lost her pirate-ness. She hasn't really been needed for the story so far, but don't worry, her time is coming up. And, yeah, I know I made her scream and run away from Cat - but hey - it's not Cat and Lizzies turn to sword fight ... yet. :)  
  
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Chapter 4 - What Dreams May Come  
  
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Cat looked in the mirror that was in her small little place of what they had the nerve to call a living quarter. It was hers, so she wasn't complaining. Catharine had been given a small area to sleep in, since now she was part of the crew of the Black Pearl. And, so far, everything was going just as she wanted it. Of course, having Jack Sparrow ask her to be a part of his crew was something she didn't expect, but that's how Captain Sparrow was. He was so predictably unpredictable.  
  
"DeVries!"  
  
"CAT!" Catharine looked away from the mirror. "How many times must I... oh, Jack."  
  
"Until you call me Captain, I'll call you DeVries." He sauntered into her incredibly small room.   
  
Cat just sighed and looked at the mirror again.  
  
"Since you are now a part of me crew - well, you have a job to do." Sparrow's eyes twinkled and he spun around looking at her living arangments. "I like what you've done with the place. Homey." He collapsed onto her bed. "You're missin' one thing though, luv."  
  
"Let me guess ... " Catharine hated it when he called her 'luv'... it made her feel like a cheap prostitute. One shilling a night, is how he made her sound. "Rum."  
  
"Oh, that too." He sat up on the bed and narrowed his eyes at her. "Needs a man's touch."   
  
"Captain Sparrow, if you are inclined to think that I will let you sleep in here with me, then you are sadly mistaken!" She stood up and faced him, pointing her finger accusingly.  
  
Jack held up his hands in self-defense. It wasn't a very good defense, since his hands wouldn't stay in one spot. It was amazing to think that this man had almost had her in a sword match.  
  
"Just as well... Cat." Jack stood up and faced the door with a swivel of his body. "I knew you'd rather swab the decks than be my right hand woman." And with that he took a few tippy-toed steps out the door.  
  
Catharine slammed the door behind him and breathed out a sigh of frustration. She grabbed her pillow and slit it through with her dagger, letting the feathers fly around the room.  
  
******  
  
Cat was given an apron, a bucket of water, and a small rag. What Jack called her welcome gifts. He also left her with instructions for scrubbing every inch of wooden floor on the Black Pearl. And if he wasn't satisfied, he'd make her do it again... with no rag.  
  
"Swab the deck, my bloody ship is all I ruddy care about." Catharine was on her hands and knees scrubbing as hard as she could as she mumbled and cursed under her breath. "I should have slit his throat."  
  
She scrubbed and swabbed until her knuckles were raw and bleeding. The next part of the ship would be all of the living quarters, and she decided to get the lovebird's nest over with first.  
  
Catharine knocked on the door with her bare hand, so she wouldn't harm her knuckles any further. Elizabeth opened the door and looked at Cat and smiled.  
  
"You're bleeding." Elizabeth opened the door and Cat walked into a very crowded room filled with so many things that it would be impossible for her to even get close enough to scrubbing the floor.  
  
"Would you kindly move all of your belongings, so that I may get on with my work." Catharine turned to look at Elizabeth who in turn sat on her bed and began to watch.  
  
Cat got on her knees and began to clean a part of the floor when Will came in and gave Elizabeth a passionate kiss. She looked at them and went back to her work.  
  
"You know ... America would have been a much better place for a honeymoon." Cat said in an as-matter-of-fact tone. She kept to her cleaning, not even looking up.  
  
"Yes, well, you don't have the right to tell us what to do." Elizabeth stood up right next to where Cat was pouring water.  
  
"Elizabeth..." Will took her hand and tried to lead her away, not wanting to anger either one of them.  
  
"Yes, go away Elizabeth." Cat still kept her eyes to the floor.  
  
Elizabeth turned to follow Will, but kicked up her shoe and a spray of dirty water went right into Cat's eyes. Cat stood up and picked the bucket of water up with her and a quick surge of water splashed onto Elizabeth.  
  
"You!" Elizabeth yanked free of Will's grasp. "You ruined my dress!"  
  
"You're welcome." Cat's eyes lit up as she smiled.  
  
Elizabeth marched right up to her and slapped Cat across the face. Will tried to stop her, but decided that he really did not want to get in the middle of two enraged women unless he really needed to.  
  
Catharine, on the other hand, just laughed.  
  
"Why are you laughing?" Elizabeth was breathing hoarsely and trying to hold back from hitting her again.  
  
"Because..." More laughter. "Is that all you've got?" Catharine unsheathed her sword and held it an inch away from Elizabeth's eye. "I can make you go blind in one eye with only one thrust of my sword." Cat saw Will moving in to protect Elizabeth.  
  
*Stupid, stupid boy. So rash.*  
  
"If you slap me again, you'll never see anything ever again, and by that I mean that I'll poke out both your eyes." Will had drawn his own sword and was pointing it at Cat.  
  
"Do you really think that wise, Mr. Turner?" Cat put her sword away. "I'm not going to hurt her."  
  
"Because if you do - I'll kill you." His voice was low and menacing.  
  
"Really now? Well, go ahead and put that on your 'I will die trying' list." Cat picked up the rag and threw it in the bucket. She smiled and nodded her head to the both of them. "Goodnight."  
  
******  
  
Cat returned to her room and sat down next to the mirror. She looked in it and saw herself for the first time after a hard days work. She looked awful.  
  
*Well, if Sparrow hears about what happened - I'll more than likely have to walk the plank by sunset tomorrow.* She brushed out the tangles in her hair. *Perhaps if I can prove that they attacked me first.* Cat stopped brushing her hair and looked back to her image in the mirror.  
  
"But it is two words against one. And Sparrow already has it in for me."  
  
Cat went to her bed and rested her head against her arm. She slowly drifted off into a deep sleep . . . . .   
  
~~~~~  
  
"Thar 'ave always been fah-r (four) cahr-ners (corners) tha' protect the great treasure located on the Isle o' Spirits, ev'ry pirate knows abow'that. The obster-cles are may'd up by those fah-r cahr-ners. The spirits o' the earth, argh (air), water, and f-argh (fire). No pirate 'as seen the treasure because o' the obster-cles. Ah-nee pirate 'oo as even set thar blimey foot on the isle can be called a grea' 'ero. Er, just plain stupid. Either way, they've get ter be full o' cahr-age (courage)."  
  
"Why would any pirate actually want to go to the island?"  
  
"Because, lass, the treasure thar be so great and wanted. Mah-ny pirates 'ave tried ter git thar 'ands on the treasure, but 'ave lost thar lives in the pro-cess. The spirits are not vary welcomin' - they ain't. Some legen's 'ave it that the spirit of the water are huge man-eatin' pirahnas tha' can gobble down a pirate wif'out chewin' 'em up. An' the argh spirits can blow a pirate to Chiner."  
  
"Sounds awfully fascinating."  
  
"Don't ye'ver think o' findin' the place, me dear."  
  
"Papa, I know it's not real. How could any pirahna grow to be that size?"  
  
"Ye know wha'. Ye're right. Goo'night."  
  
"Night."  
  
******  
  
Cat awoke with a start, sitting straight up. It had been her father's voice telling her the story of the Isle of Spirit's again. She had been having the same dream over and over since he died when she was 13, since it had been the last thing he had ever said to her. The next morning she had awaken to find her mother, who made it a priority to never show weakness or never show anything less than manners was crying in her room with a note saying that the great pirate Basil DeVries had been murdered by a British Navy officer.   
  
That was when Cat knew that she must become a pirate, just like her father, and revenge his death. She had already found the officer and killed him, but it just drove her further into the madness of being the Black Cat. It wouldn't go away - it kept eating away at her on the inside - and Cat thought that she'd never be able to go back to being just, plain Catharine DeVries. Perhaps even have a husband and settle down. A very non-pirate husband, and definitely non-pirate children. But that was all just a dream - for all men, pirate or no, had heard of the Black Cat.   
  
_______  
  
A/N : Ooh... stuff about the Isle and stuff about Cat's past. Woohoo! So - if you're gettin' this - Cat talks the way she does because her mother wouldn't settle for anything less. I know that it's a bit weird having a regular maiden marry a pirate and then their child talking like a normal person, but she's a smart character. Don't want her to sound like a pirate. Not that there is anything wrong about sounding like a pirate.  
  
I'm sorry that the last little part is just two paragraphs. Bit of writers block on how to put it all in there. Oh, well, you'll get over it. Heehee!  
  
Again, read and review. I love reading reviews. They also make me write more. Like I'll stop writing ... I want to see how it all finishes. I know I have the plot and all, but sometimes when you write you get ideas and they blossom into something more better. Yes... MORE BETTER! Ha! 


	5. Haunting Memories

Disclaimer : Not a thing has changed. Don't own a thing! Not nobody, not no how. How 'bout that, eh? A Wizard of Oz moment. Don't own that either. :) LoL.  
  
I'm so on a roll with the updating thing. :) Go me 'n stuff! Woohoo!  
  
Question : update soon?  
  
Is this soon enough for ya? :) Same day as Chapter 4.  
  
______  
  
Chapter 5 - Haunting Memories  
  
______  
  
"Savvy?" Captain Jack Sparrow and Will Turner were on deck practicing a few new sword moves on each other. Sparrow had let Anamaria steer the ship for a day so that he and Will could spend some time doing the 'male bonding' thing.  
  
"Savvy." Will nodded his head as Jack drew his sword. "Where'd you pick up that word anyway?" He twirled his sword up in the air and caught it.  
  
"Pick up on a few things here and there, mate." Jack had again lost all the loopy-drunkeness that normally came with him. Maybe it was the weight of the sword that balanced him out - but whatever it was, it worked. "Can't tell all o' the secrets that come with me, now can I?"  
  
"You come with secrets?" Catharine's head popped up from below deck.  
  
"All sorts, me dear." Jack bowed to her, and then continued on with the practice with Will. "No, no boy! Turn that way - are you deaf? I said that way!"  
  
"I *am* turning! What does it look like I'm doing?" Will poked a hole through Jack's hat with his sword.  
  
"Dancin' like a lady." Jack commented as he looked at his hat. "And ye'll be buyin' me a new hat." Will lunged forward with his sword, and they began to circle each other, now more than ever that they were being watched.  
  
"Men..." Catharine shook her head in disgust. They were absolutely pathetic. She could take both of them on and beat them both to tiny little pirate bits.  
  
"Cat?" Cat turned around to face the voice of Elizabeth.  
  
"What do you want?" Catharine rolled her eyes and tapped the bucket in her hand as a warning.  
  
"Listen, I have been thinking about last night. I never should have kicked the water into your face. I am very sorry - and I hope that we can get passed all that." Elizabeth held out her hand. Cat just stared at it, mainly in amusement.  
  
"Why?" Catharine put the bucket down.  
  
"What?" Elizabeth put her hand down.   
  
"I don't know... why?"  
  
"Oh, well - since you and I are really the only sane women aboard this ship." They both looked at Anamaria who was screaming her lungs out at Gibbs and Master Higgins for doing something that she didn't like.  
  
"Alright." Cat and Elizabeth shook hands.  
  
"Now - I was wondering if you could teach me how to use a sword."  
  
"I knew there was a catch." Catharine picked up her bucket and tried to get on with her work, but Elizabeth stopped her.   
  
"Please?" Elizabeth nodded her head over to Will and Jack. "He thinks that just because I am a woman that I shouldn't learn how to manuever a sword. And you know what?" There was a slight pause. Mainly because Catharine was already bored to pieces with Elizabeth's sob story. "I bloody well helped him fight Captain Barbossa. I even shot a few pirates, I stabbed Barbossa, and I outsmarted half of the pirates!"  
  
"You stabbed Barbossa?" Cat's eyes opened wide.  
  
"Well, yes. But, that was before I knew he couldn't die." Elizabeth smiled a little, remembering how it had felt to feel, even for the slightest moment, that she was free of Barbossa.  
  
"Well - I am not going to let you bottle all that talent up." Cat put her bucket down and smiled. "Let's start. Do you have a sword?"  
  
"Not one that is actually mine. But, I have one." Elizabeth grabbed Catharine's sword before Catharine could even blink. That was something she wasn't prepared for at all.  
  
"Very good." Cat said in a state of confusion and awe. "I'll just go get another one." With that, Cat grabbed the dagger from her ankle and held it up.  
  
Jack and Will were beginning to notice that they weren't being watched by anyone, but they did notice that they weren't the only one's fighting.  
  
"Elizabeth!" Will ran forward to 'rescue' Elizabeth.  
  
"Cat, whatever you do - " Jack came at a half run half saunter, chasing Will. "Don't knock her unconcious. I don't want another bloody dent in me ship!!"  
  
Elizabeth looked at Will in a pleading sort of way. "You don't have to come to my rescue all the time. Besides, Cat is teaching me how to use a sword. We are both perfectly - "  
  
"No." Will shook his head. "You are not a pirate. You are a respectable lady and are not meant to be - "  
  
"Aw, come off it Bootstrap Junior." Jack sang as he dropped his sword. He bent down to pick it up and missed. He grabbed for it again, missing it again. His hand-eye coordination being off, he kicked up the sword from the deck with his boot and sheathed it properly. "She'll be learnin' from the best."  
  
"Aye." Cat piped in. "What if one day you aren't there to save her?"  
  
Will picked up a hint of a threat in the sentence, but didn't say anything in response. He really didn't want his Elizabeth to learn how to fight. Especially from Catharine DeVries.  
  
"If you put it that way." Will sighed and looked over to the bumbling Jack, who was yelling about shutting up a bloody stupid bird, while reaching for a small flask of rum.  
  
******  
  
"This is a thrust." Catharine lunged the dagger forward. "Now I'll show you how to block." Her dagger moved to a straight up and down position. "Ready to try to block?"  
  
Catharine didn't give Elizabeth a chance to say yes. Elizabeth stopped the thrust, but Cat got a piece of her arm in the thrust.  
  
"Sorry." Cat tried to make her voice have as much emotion as she could muster. She had never told anybody sorry for drawing blood. But, there was always a first for everything.  
  
Elizabeth, then saw that Cat was thinking about something and moved quickly for a thrust. She cut the upper part of Cat's wrist.   
  
"What are you doing!?" Catharine looked at the cut. "I didn't mean to cut you!"  
  
"I thought you were ready." Elizabeth said, obviously sorry for her actions.  
  
Catharine snatched her sword back from Elizabeth and stormed to her cabin.  
  
******  
  
Captain Sparrow was sitting in his cabin. The sun had set and the weather was so perfect that the Pearl didn't need anybody at the helm to steer it.  
  
"Captain?" The muffled voice came through the door, along with a knock.  
  
Jack sat up in his chair and looked around for his hat and coat. How dare... whoever this was... to try and catch him without looking like a proper pirate. He whirled his coat on and flipped on the hat (*Will still owe's me a new hat.*).  
  
Clearing his throat he leaned against his desk, "Enter. Ah, Miss - sorry, Cat."  
  
"Yes, it's me. I'm sorry to bother you-"  
  
"Oh, you're not botherin' me a bit." Jack smiled, he kept arching one eyebrow and then the other as if he thought it impressive.  
  
"I was just wondering - "  
  
"Curiosity killed the Cat, luv." He sat in his chair and kicked his boots up on the desk.  
  
"Of course - but -"  
  
"But what?"  
  
"Well if you'd let me finish I'd tell you what the 'but' is!!" Catharine took a deep breath and looked at Jack.   
  
"Savvy." He took off his hat and set it on his chest.  
  
"Finished?" Cat warned.  
  
"Finished." He nodded and gave a slight half smile. Captain Sparrow was enjoying creating a rise out of her.  
  
"I just wanted to ask you about the Isle of Spirits." Cat sat down in the only other chair in the room. "That is... if I may be so bold. I heard that you were the only pirate to have seen the treasure and lived."  
  
"You may ask all that you want to know."  
  
"So, you have been there?" Cat scooted up to the edge of her seat, clearly interested.  
  
"And I'll never go back. Which is sayin' something." Jack seemed awfully serious. It was beginning to freak her out. "Not a place for a respectable pirate."  
  
"Oh. So, are the stories really true about the four corners that guard the treasure? How did you get past the obstacles?"  
  
"Brains." Jack smiled and looked at the bottle of rum on the other side of the room. He was comfortable and didn't feel like getting up, but if it was for the rum, he would manage. Swaggering as he went, he grabbed the bottle and took a swig.  
  
Catharine watched as the rum punched Captain flailed his arms wildly around as if the rum was a fuel to them. "Brains?" She didn't mean it to sound as she did. So she smiled and took the questioning part of it off. "I mean... brains."  
  
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Miss DeVries. I'd care not to talk about the Isle of Spirits anymore." Catharine showed herself to the door, and tried not to think of all the horrors that Captain Sparrow had been through on the Isle of Spirits.  
  
******  
  
The Black Pearl docked at a small inlet marina called Carnage Cave the next day. (A/N - I know it. Who comes up with all these little places, right? LoL. Me!) The place brought back disturbing memories to Catharine. She looked out onto the dock and to the small town up on the hill in the distance. This was where she had killed her father's murderer.  
  
The wind howled and it ran cold shivers up her spine. It was also her first night of carnage. The name fitted the purpose that drove her to madness the night that she had her revenge. She had killed the officer's wife and two children right in front of him, cursing and telling him how it felt to lose a father. Then she had stabbed him in his thigh and then in the stomach with her dagger, twisting it so that he would bleed to death. She waited there all night, calling him names as he slowly drifted into a painful death. The next morning he was dead, and Catharine had felt awful. Whatever good that others had found in revenge, she had only found more pain and suffering and that led to more killings at Carnage Cave. She left with the first beginnings of her new found name... The Black Cat.  
  
"You remember this place well." Catharine drew her sword and twirled to face the intruder.   
  
"Oh, Captain Sparrow." Putting her sword away she looked back to the village. "As for remembering... it is all too clear in my mind."  
  
"Reamp! Blood and guts! Reamp! Guts!" The parrot landed on Jack's shoulder and looked Catharine up and down. "Reamp! Pretty lady! Blood and guts!"  
  
Catharine smiled at the parrot. He knew her better than anybody else on the Black Pearl seemed to know her.  
  
"Bloody parrot!" Jack tried to smack the bird off his shoulder but the bird hopped onto his hat. He then ripped off his hat and threw it to the ground. The bird went flying off onto land searching for its master squaking. "Reamp! Cracker, Jacker! Reamp! Cracker!"  
  
Captain Sparrow's breathing began to lessen as he put his now flattened hat back on his head. He really needed a new hat.  
  
"I'll leave ye to your thoughts." Jack turned and started tripping over his own two feet as he went back into his cabin.  
  
Catharine inwardly thanked Jack, and she knew that not only the parrot knew who she really was. Perhaps, Jack knew who she was and how she was going to be.  
  
******  
  
"But Cap'n ... what'll happen if the Black Ca' don' come through at the end o' the month?" All the rest of the crew gave a hearty argh.  
  
"Because - she *BE* the Black Cat ye mah-ron." Blackbeard's nostrils flared. What if Catharine 'Black Cat' DeVries couldn't pull through? Well - he had answers for that. He'd kill her the first chance he got. She may be the best female pirate with a sword - but he had a firing squad. A match of swords versus guns ... swords were yesterdays news.  
  
______  
  
A/N : Before ANYBODY asks. NO Cat has NOT fallen in love with Jack Sparrow. Sheesh! I know it sounds like that, but no!!! Perhaps she has found a friend ... and tha' be all ye mangy dogs!  
  
:: sighs :: What am I going to do with all of you romance freaks, eh? I'll make ye all walk the plank I will. Hehe.  
  
God, I love that parrot. I know I've said that before. If this fic happens to fall in a hole of pitless dispair I will have one claim to fame. And that is my parrot! Er, not *my* parrot. Sorry... I forgot I don't own him. My claim to fame is that I made the parrot loveable. Yeah!  
  
To all my reviewers... I wuv you all! Be sincere and honest and constructive, please. :)   
  
Could I write a longer author's note, or what? 


	6. Peeping Toms

Disclaimer : Nope. Nothing. I swear! Still nothing. Don't own a thing.  
  
Questions : (well - this time more like comments... hehe)  
  
Z... That's not flaming - you were telling me exactly what was what. Some stuff I can't change but that pirate-y dialogue ... guess I can turn that down a notch. Not a big notch, but a little. Hehe. Thank you!  
  
______  
  
Chapter 6 - Peeping Toms  
  
______  
  
The day had been a long one. Catharine had finally finished cleaning all the floors on the ship, so at least she had one thing to look forward to. The next day she would be able to sit and do absolutely nothing, except eat and sleep.   
  
But, was she ever wrong.  
  
Not only did good ol' Captain Jack make her scrub the main deck again, but he kept his promise and she had no rag to clean it with. While she scrubbed with her hands and her skirts, Cat started to formulate some new plans in that, as Sparrow called it, pretty red head of hers.  
  
"How ya comin' along?" Cat looked up and saw none other than Jack Sparrow. If she had no sense at all he would be deader than a doornail by the time she was done with him.  
  
"Wonderfully." Cat stood up and jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "Listen, I need to go to Palm Rock." No more gilding that particular lily.  
  
"You do?" He pushed her hand away and used her shoulder as an armrest. "So... that's why you wanted on my ship."  
  
"Yes." Cat pulled him closer to her and whispered into his ear. "See, there is a hidden treasure on that island. And, I, Captain Sparrow, have the one and only map to it." She pushed him away and watched as his eyes told exactly what he was thinking. "There is enough gold there to please any *good* pirate."  
  
*Treasure? Hmmm - do need a new hat, I do. Wait no... we're runnin' out'a rum fast. And when I find out who's been drinkin' it all - I'll throw'em over board so fast they won't even - *  
  
Cat interrupted his thoughts; "You get 75 percent of the treasure. Since you have a crew to share it with." He smiled and thought it over.  
  
"I'll be tellin' the crew that we're headin' for Palm Rock." Jack smiled again, and bounded away happy as a schoolboy.  
  
"We'll be there before the end of the month." Catharine chuckled a little to herself as she followed Sparrow.  
  
"All hands on deck!" Jack started ringing the bell, and before long every crewmember was on deck. He swished as he walked towards the group. "Bit of a change of plans. We're goin' to Palm Rock, men!" He looked at Anamaria, Elizabeth, and then Cat. "And women."  
  
"Why are we going to Palm Rock, Jack?" Will asked, as he unexpectedly looked at Cat. Catharine looked behind her to see if there was anybody around her. Sadly, no. That boy was too smart.  
  
"Ah, lad. One word." He made a slight pause, hoping to get more effect in. "Treasure." The crew 'oohed' and 'ahhed'... Jack was pleased with himself for making it sound so magical.  
  
"Will!" Elizabeth took Will out of his gaze. "How exciting! A real treasure hunt. Captain Sparrow, thank you for making this a wonderful honeymoon."  
  
"Well, there would be more than just treasure hunts if we had gotten married, but I didn't care for ya all that much. You're a bit eccentric for me, luv." Jack shrugged and walked off, putting one foot in front of the other, looking quite stupid. "Sorry that you had to settle for Will when you could have had a Captain Jack Sparrow honeymoon."  
  
Elizabeth and Will looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "You know I love you, Will." Elizabeth said.   
  
Cat felt like stabbing herself so she wouldn't have to listen to all of those sappy sweet nothings.   
  
"And I love you."   
  
No - better yet - she decided she would die from being burned at the stake. Had to be better than this.   
  
Elizabeth and Will kissed.   
  
Cat felt her stomach turn. A pirate ship was no place for a sappy, drawn out, love couple. She decided she'd kill them first.  
  
******  
  
~~~  
  
It looked as if the very water itself was swimming and Will and Elizabeth knew they were going to die. The water rippled as one of the piranhas' tails broke the surface, and it dived into the great depths of the river. When it had reached the bottom, it used the sandy bottom of the river to push itself quickly to the surface. The piranha leapt out of the water and onto the bank where Will and Elizabeth were. Its jaws were wide, and they clung to each other, knowing that death was to come. Closer and closer the jaws came, and one swift close of the mouth and they were gone.  
  
~~~  
  
"NO!" Catharine startled even herself as she sat up in her bed. For some strange reason, the dream had changed her way of thinking, she didn't want a soul on the Black Pearl to die. Even if the Isle of Spirits was, as she thought, a myth - a fate such as that was even too horrible for her.  
  
*What am I thinking? I have a job to do ... and we are heading straight towards Palm Rock. Just as I have promised. I am NOT going back on my word.* She laid her head back on the pillow. *I am the Black Cat - emotion is weakness.* Cat drifted back off to sleep.  
  
******  
  
Catharine woke up the next morning refreshed and ready for whatever the day would bring her. As she emerged from her small cabin, again it was hers so she wasn't complaining; the salty sea air greeted her.  
  
"Reamp! Pretty lady!" The parrot landed right in front of her and looked up at her with large eyes. "Reamp! Polly no find Jacker."  
  
Cat just stared at the bird, but came to her senses. "Well, Polly - "  
  
"No! Reamp!" The bird flapped its wings in disapproval. "Ogsfort! Reamp!"  
  
"If your name is Ogsfort then why do you call yourself Polly?" Catharine felt rather stupid talking to the bird, but at least it was talking back, so at least she thought she was still sane.  
  
"Reamp! Family name!" The bird flew off squawking, "Reamp! Walk the plank! Reamp!"  
  
Cat watched as the bird flew off. Polly... erm Ogsfort... landed on Captain Sparrow's rather broken down hat and started screeching something about a giant squid bunny and finding Jacker. She smiled as she watched the Captain try to coax the bird away with some rum, but when that didn't work he started swinging his sword in the parrot's direction.  
  
She turned her attention away to see Higgins and Anamaria playing a game with dice and it looked like Anamaria was winning by a rather large amount by the look on Higgins's face. Then, Cat turned to look at the other members of the crew helping to sail the ship, doing what they love most. Gibbs giving the orders and Cotton trying to call his parrot - which was an especially hard feat to accomplish due to the fact that he had no tongue. Finally there was Will and Elizabeth. Will normally was helping the crew, but today he and Elizabeth were looking out over the water. Life aboard the Black Pearl was peaceful. Every person aboard, with the exception of her, was an innocent who she was leading straight into the hands of death and despair. She couldn't let them all die, but she still had her honor as the Black Cat to keep with Blackbeard.  
  
"Captain!" Jack Sparrow was still trying to scare the bird away.   
  
"Just a second." He swung again and missed, nearly falling over. Another attempt, but this time he hit one of the pegs on the wheel and the entire ship went to one side. The bird, seeing as to how much trouble he was causing, flew off and landed on Cotton's shoulder. Catharine, luckily, held the wheel and turned it back to normal. "Bloody stupid bird."  
  
"I think he likes you." Cat said as Jack took over the ship again. He rolled his eyes at her remark.  
  
"What if just you and me went to Palm Rock, eh?" Catharine turned on her charm. "No crew to worry about ... and no splitting up the treasure with your mates."  
  
"I still get 75 percent?" Jack nearly toppled over from the surprise rather than the rum.  
  
"Course. I'm a woman of my word." More fake smiling.  
  
"Would be rather fun. But, I love me ship, and I wouldn't dare leave it in the 'ands of ... anybody on the crew. Save, Will. But he isn't ready to be a Captain. Got a wife. Sailin' doesn't do the family man good."   
  
*Tell me something I don't know.* Cat thought. "Oh." How dare she even think about doing that. Now he'll definitely think that she's up to something. Catharine turned and went straight to her living quarters.   
  
As soon as she stepped foot in there she smacked herself in the forehead for being such a stupid, silly, and naive little girl. The pirates on this ship... innocent? Ha! Who was she kidding? This was the infamous Black Pearl. She sat in front of her mirror and slammed her hands down in anger.  
  
"Don't know why I'm trying to go back on my deal with Blackbeard. The people here are making me go soft. I will not let that happen!" She pounded the table again with her fists. "I'm the Black Cat... I'm the Black Cat... " She kept on repeating it to herself, as if it would mean her very death if she forgot the name.  
  
******  
  
"I knew it... " Will whispered into Elizabeth's ear. They moved away from Catharine's door. "She has been planning this for some time now, we must tell Jack."  
  
"No!" Elizabeth caught Will's arm.  
  
"Why not? That traitor," He pointed towards Cat's cabin, raising his voice, but Elizabeth put her finger to his lips to quiet him down. "That traitor is going to kill us all."  
  
"Jack thinks that nothing is wrong. Why ruin his little world?" She looked into Will's eyes. "We will be able to keep a close watch on her. We can give Jack more ideas to make her work. Keep her busy."  
  
"But - "  
  
"Look how happy he is. Not a care in the world." Elizabeth pointed to Jack. He was singing his favorite song. "Not a care." Elizabeth said again.  
  
Will nodded his head and took a deep breath. "Hawk eyes."   
  
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A/N - As always. Leave me some feedback. Sorry that this chapter took so long to get up (fanfiction.net was being wacky as most of us know). I can't always be on a roll, you know! I have a real life too ... wait, why are you laughing? I do have a real life!  
  
Woohoo! Someone else loves that kooky bird! I can now die peacefully. ;)  
  
(Hey, go me! The a/n isn't long today!) 


	7. Beards of Black

Disclaimer : Disney owns the rights to everything. EVERYTHING! I am making no profit what-so-ever... in fact I am probably helping Disney make more profit by making people go see the movie. :) Go me.  
  
No questions because ff.net was down and... I didn't want to wait until it was back up to continue. :)  
  
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Chapter 7 - Beards of Black   
  
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"Argh - be almos' towards the en'o' the month." A voice came from behind Blackbeard, startling him, but he would never show it. "Cap'n?"  
  
"Aye." Blackbeard looked out over the water. The waves were slowly lapping at the sides of Palm Rock. It wasn't given that name for nothing. There was only one small beach area; the rest of the island was rock and cliffs. The main vegetation on the island was the infamous palm tree. Blackbeard wondered how a small village could possible do so well here on this island. Very few people knew where it was ... and it was only the ones wanted by his Majesty's navy that knew where it was. At least it was a safe place ... but that wasn't what was worrying him.  
  
"Keep a good watch o'er the water. We don' wan' ter be surprised when it be the Pearl's time ter drop anchor." The man ran off in a hurry to tell everyone to keep watch on the waters for the night.  
  
******  
  
"Land! Reamp! Ho!" The parrot flew down from the highest black sail. "Land ho! Reamp!" Ogsfort puffed his feathers in pride as he settled down on the wooden boards beside Jack Sparrow's feet.  
  
"Right." Jack smiled as he steered the ship. They were nearly there. Adventure was just around the corner, and he could feel the anticipation growing inside of him. "Go round up the crew... me parrot mate."  
  
The bird flew off squawking and annoying every crewmember in site. Jack smiled, the gold shining brightly in the sun; for once it wasn't him who was being annoyed.  
  
******  
  
"Cap'n! Cap'n! CAP'N!!" Blackbeard looked up; he had been having a nice dream. Sparrow had been left for dead on a raft, floating in the middle of the Atlantic while Blackbeard had been enjoying the pleas of mercy from Sparrow's crew. Dumb whelps wanting to give up their own lives for their Captain. He had known that Captain Jack Sparrow was dead in this dream. And his own crewmember waking him up - he had a good idea to have him shot.  
  
"I 'eard ya the firs' five times." Blackbeard stood up and looked out the window. Sure enough ... a ship with black sails a little off in the distance ... but definitely on its way to Palm Rock. If Blackbeard could see Miss Catharine DeVries he'd kiss her right now and give her anything she asked for. The old girl really did know her stuff.  
  
"We'll be leavin' fah-r the local pub at the village. Cap'n Jack will be goin' thar firs'." Blackbeard began to laugh as he looked back at the Black Pearl sailing towards the island. It was a laugh full of malice, hatred, evil and a tad of revenge. The crewmember that was still in Blackbeard's presence drew back in fear. This was not the Captain Blackbeard that he knew. Oh, no. It was someone who was now showing their true nature ... something was not right. The man left screaming as Blackbeard continued to laugh while keeping his eyes focused on the Pearl.  
  
******  
  
The kohl-painted eyes of Jack Sparrow watched over the crew as the Black Pearl dropped its anchor at Palm Rock. He took a deep breath and began to walk, not so straight, of course, down to the dock. Places to go ... people to meet ... and treasure to take. All in a days work. It was going to be fun.  
  
"Anything happen last night while you were keeping watch?" Elizabeth whispered into Will's ear as she saw Cat come out of her cabin. She didn't look so good either.  
  
"No. I heard nothing. She tossed and turned all night. Probably couldn't wait to get here and do well ... I'm not sure." Will watched as Cat looked at them, her eyes full of both wonder and knowing perfectly well of what they were talking about. He looked back at Elizabeth. "Ears peeled and eyes to the floor ... " Bootstrap Jr. paused and thought that over.  
  
"Eyes peeled and ears to the floor. I know." Elizabeth smiled as the two of them went hand and hand off the boat.  
  
Catharine watched as Will and Elizabeth seemed to be up to something. *It better bloody well not be anything planned for me. I don't care how much they like me.* She looked at Palm Rock. She did was she was told to do, and yet why did she feel so terrible?  
  
Cat numbly ran her fingers through her hair. She hadn't slept a wink last night. The feeling at the pit of her stomach had been so overbearing that she had decided to just 'read' all night. If you could even call staring at the same page for an hour 'reading'. The bags underneath her eyes carried a huge load and all she wished was that she was somewhere else and had a nice comfy bed to sleep in with no worries over her head. The life of a pirate ... well ... it wasn't for her and it wasn't fun. All the 'yo hos' and 'arghs' could walk the plank and never be heard from again if it was up to her.  
  
She shook her head of all the thoughts swimming around in her mind. Cat walked back into her cabin and laid her head down on her feather pillow. She had had to put all the feathers back in it and sew the fabric back together. The pillow looked rather nice now, except for the nice tear down the middle, but it was still comfortable none-the-less. But not comfortable enough to get the worries away. The pit in her stomach grew, some knots and painful, fluttering butterflies joined it.   
  
There was a knock on her cabin door. Cat could barely talk, but she managed a weak, "Come in." And in stepped Captain Jack Sparrow.  
  
"Are ya ill?" His voice echoed on the walls. She forced herself to sit up, giving herself a headache in the process.  
  
"No." Cat put her hand to her head, closing her eyes.  
  
"Since you *are* the one with the map, I figured ye'd be the first off the ship." Jack shrugged and walked backwards towards the door, waiting for a response from Cat.  
  
"OH!" This made Catharine really get up. She forgot that she was supposed to have the map. How stupid could she get? "Oh..." She threw her hand up to her head. A headache and a head rush all at the same time was actually quite painful.  
  
Cat ran her hands through her hair again, and followed Jack out of her cabin, down to the dock, and finally onto Palm Rock.  
  
"You know - Will still owes me a hat. I might just make'em buy me one here. Whatcha say?" Jack nudged Cat in the side; she just looked at him and then back at the ground. *Where are they?* She thought to herself. Not that she wanted them to carry Mr. Sparrow away ... it just seemed to her that as soon as they had docked that the Pearl would have been swarming with Blackbeard's crew.  
  
"I can't wait to see it." Catharine tried to muster up a lot of energy to make her sound more like herself. That pit kept growing.  
  
"Now, now." Jack grabbed her and made her face him. "Tell ol' Captain Jack what's botherin' ya. You ain't been yourself since we got here."  
  
"It's nothing." Cat smiled. "My father told me about this place when I was young." A quick lie to get him off her back and to stop making her feel so guilty. But why did she feel guilty? She knew perfectly why. Captain Sparrow was becoming a good friend of hers. He seemed to know what she was thinking... well not all of it... and actually seemed to care about her. That was different. She had never had anybody really care for her before.  
  
Those dark eyes looked down in annoyance. She knew that he knew that she wasn't telling the truth... or not the whole truth. He shrugged and went on talking about how Will was going to buy him a nice, big hat. With a big Robin Hood style feather sticking out of the side of it.  
  
"Are you sure that ya are alrigh'?" She had been so lost trying to listen to everything that he was saying that he nearly scared her half to death by asking her this question.  
  
"For the love of God..." He sure was beginning to annoy her. Maybe it was better that Blackbeard would drag him off. No! Jack was her friend. She should tell him right now what she had done.  
  
*Would I prefer my death or his?* That seemed to settle everything and she smiled at Jack.   
  
"Tired is all."   
  
"All that scouring of the decks, eh?" A loud chuckle that came from his gut and escaped from his mouth was heard. She didn't find it quite so amusing. That annoying laugh would soon be silenced forever.   
  
*Ah! Stop thinking like that.* Cat literally smacked her forehead and Jack looked at her a little wary.   
  
"Bug." He nodded and kept on walking. Catharine looked around her; she had just been following the Captain, and he had led them to a small pub.  
  
"So far so good..." Cat mumbled to herself. *NO! Blackbeard is supposed to be around here. I'm supposed to get a big reward out of all this.*  
  
Jack walked aimlessly to the bar and ordered nothing else but rum for him and all the crew. He walked to a couple of tables where a few Black Pearl crewmembers were. They started laughing and cutting up, and then the drinks came.   
  
Cat just stood at the door. What was she doing? Just standing at the door where someone could walk in and make her go flat on her face, is what it seemed like. As soon as she had thought that, she wished someone would have walked in and smashed her so far to the ground that she would die.  
  
Blackbeard was in the corner of the room, looking straight at her. A cigar was in his mouth, and as he took a breath the cigar glowed a bright red. His eyes were wild, but she held the gaze, daring him to make a move. She decided that it wasn't the time for dares... it was time for Captain Sparrow and his crew to leave Palm Rock. Something in Blackbeard's eyes was more sinister than anything she had ever saw in her life. Evil. Even bad pirates weren't... that evil. She had killed before, yes heartless. But this was as if Satan himself had went deep into Blackbeard's blood. That was pure evil.  
  
"Jack..." Cat whispered as loudly as she could. She didn't want to alert anybody, especially any of Blackbeard's cronies. "Someone is trying to steal the Black Pearl."  
  
"Noooo-non-sentence. Cotsfort and Ogton 'ave the shiiii-ip par-fact-leee safe 'n sound, love." He smiled and ordered another round. Jack was drunk and enjoying life. But Cat didn't have time for none of his foolishness.  
  
"You're not listening to me. Cotton and Ogsfort are dead!" She tried to pick up his arm and drag him, but that didn't work either.  
  
"Know what... bless their wittle ol' 'earts. Costingtong and Ogscotton ... two grrreat soulsss." He began laughing and then a few tears slid down from his dark kohl eyes. "I loved that bird...." He put his head in his hands and began to cry harder that any one person she had ever seen. "I ne'er meaned it to say that he'd... " A choke and a hiccup... and then all the tears were gone. "Where's the dock?"  
  
"Thank goodness... I'll take you to - "  
  
"That ain' right... you's suppose'em to say... 'who be thar'."   
  
Cat looked at him like he had two heads and five pairs of legs. "What!?" She looked behind her. Blackbeard was looking dead at her.   
  
"I say... 'where is the dock' you say 'who be thar'." He started to giggle. Then he stood up and looked at Cat, very seriously. "Do yer git it? 'Cause I sure as hell don't..." Then he started laughing again, stumbling around the pub. Cat wanted to strangle him and take him prisoner of his own ship.  
  
The next thing Cat knew a fight had broken out from something that Captain Jack had said. He was laughing and hiding behind the kegs of rum. She went after him, but a large hand stopped her. Blackbeard put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I knew tha' ye'd come through fer me." Cat slapped his hand away, but he wasn't going to give up so easily. He grabbed her wrist and held it tight. Catharine struggled and as she went down to grab the dagger from her ankle, Blackbeard shoved her up against the wall and pointed her own dagger right back at her. *So this was how Will felt. Have to tell him sorry about that.*  
  
"Lett'er goooo." The drunken tones of Captain Sparrow. He was tapping Blackbeard on the shoulder, trying to get his attention. Bless his heart.  
  
"Jack! No!" Blackbeard had the dagger right at her throat. A centimeter closer and there would be blood from the Black Cat all over the pub.  
  
"Didja not 'ear me... mate?" More poking from the drunk, and nearly falling from standing up, Captain Sparrow. "Are ye deaf!? I caaaaaain't speak that mute talk... let her-"  
  
Blackbeard let go of Cat and turned to face Jack. Cat tried to get Jack's attention, but Blackbeard kicked her down to the ground.  
  
"Yer not deaf. Well that's good to 'ear." The drunk tone started to go away as if he realized that the big guy with the big black beard was being quite serious.  
  
Cat watched as Blackbeard took Cat's own dagger and went overhead, hoping to hit Jack right in the heart. However, swashbuckler Jack was too quick for that and he blocked rather easily. It had to be the weight of the sword that stabled the weight of the Captain Sparrow. He was way to drunk to fight so well.  
  
Then, the next moment, Cat saw Blackbeard fighting Will. No more Sparrow. And that was all she saw before being knocked unconscious.  
  
______  
  
A/N : And to think I was going to continue on with this chapter. Hmm... oh, well. Hehe. Oh, and if you think that this story is close to being over... well, I'll shut up.  
  
As always read and review ... oh, you all would be very proud of me. I took the time, while FF.net was down and read up on pirates. They are so cool! The sequel to this (yes, it's already in the works) and the rest of this are going to be a lot better than I had planned - all due to my research! Aren't you all glad? 


	8. CatONineTails

Disclaimer : Disney owns everything. And Disney rocks for doing so. I no steal what is rightfully theirs. However I did steal Captain Jack Sparrow for a short time, but I gave him right back. So, technically, I didn't steal. I borrowed.  
  
I do, however, own Cat, Palm Rock, and the Isle of Spirits. Ye best not be a-stealin' me ideas maties.   
  
IoS? Dramatic? Well - I guess it is. Hehe. Might want to change the genre from mystery to drama. LoL. But it's a mystery because you all still don't know what's going on! Mwahahahahahaha!  
  
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Chapter 8 - Cat-O-Nine-Tails  
  
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Catharine woke up in a cabin that looked vaguely familiar, and yet she knew that she had never been in this cabin before. The walls had no maps like Jack Sparrow's had, the desk was rather clean and well kept, and weaponry of all sorts could be found in every nook and corner. This had to be the weaponry.  
  
Cat tried to stand, but found that her legs were rather wobbly. She used the desk to pull herself up, and slowly moved to the door. As soon as she turned the knob, the hideous face of Blackbeard greeted her. He pushed her down to the floor and gave her a toothy grin.  
  
"Welcome ter me ship... the Queen Anne's Revenge." He opened his arms as if it was a show. Cat rolled her eyes.  
  
"Lovely. So - I take it I will be staying here?" She tried to stand up again, but Blackbeard pushed her down to the floor, yet again.  
  
"No." He looked around the room. "This be the first mate's study. Doubt I'd let ye stay here ... ye're too smart fer yer own good ... ye'd have me dead before sundown." Cat tried again to stand up, but to no avail.  
  
"That's getting awfully tiring." Cat took a deep breath and held back her temper.  
  
"Stop tryin' ter git up then."   
  
"Well, then, Captain, may I ask where I will be staying?" Catharine relaxed against the cool floorboards.  
  
"Thought ye'd never ask." With that Blackbeard grabbed Cat's left wrist and yanked her out of the room. If he had jerked even the slightest bit more, she would have no left arm. "Ye've gone soft."   
  
"Well, 'tis your fault if I have gone soft." Catharine tried to loosen his grip. Why was it that men could grab her wrist so easily and they were an absolute pain to get off?  
  
"How's it my fault?" Blackbeard was jingling a pair of keys with his other hand. Cat found her chance. She used all her strength and went for his eyes. His screams echoed through the air, and when he turned around to face her, it looked as if his eyes were blood themselves. And not from her nails. Evil was dripping around their edges. She shuddered and he yanked her to a door.  
  
"No cell?" Blackbeard tossed her inside.  
  
"This is me cabin, me dear." He smiled and pointed out the room with a wave of his hand, showing a large cut on his wrist. "I cleared it ou' just fer ye." Blackbeard then pointed to a pair of shackles on the wall, another cut was revealed. "Them's fer ye too."  
  
"Oh, you shouldn't have." Cat said through gritted teeth. "I see you got rather beat up."  
  
"Concerned are ye?" Cat just glared at him. "This be ter keep ye from 'scapin'." With another quick yank and a few locks, Cat was chained before she could say 'mumble me tumble.'  
  
"'Scapin'?" Cat tried to free her wrists.  
  
"Yes." A horrible smile spread across his lips. "Wouldn't want yer ter be gettin' in the way o' our murderin' Cap'n Jack and Mr. and Mrs. Turner ... now would we?"  
  
Catharine's eyes opened wide as he turned to leave. They were locking her up and going to kill the others!  
  
"You!" She looked at her ankle - the dagger was gone. "You... murderer!"  
  
"Argh. Don' be cuttin' me ter the quick." Another evil grin. "Feel lef' out do ye? Don'tcha be worryin'. Moses' Law is in yer near future."  
  
Cat closed her eyes, already feeling the pain.  
  
"Oh - and ye'll get nine times 39. If ye'll still be conscious by the time one o' me crew gets ter it." Blackbeard began to laugh. "Somethin' fit fer the Black Cat herself."  
  
"No..." Cat knew what was in store for her.   
  
"Yes, wench. The cat-o-nine-tails. Goo'night." Those evil, blood shot eyes flashed in approval at the look on her face.  
  
"No..." Cat mustered up all the courage left in her. "NO!" Blackbeard pulled out his cutlass, the blade only a few inches away from her juggler.  
  
"Ye've earned it." Another laugh and he turned, locking her in his cabin.  
  
"You'll pay for this Blackbeard!" She began to scream at the top of her lungs. "The Black Cat always repays her debt! I'll cut you to pieces ... inch by inch ... and when I'm through with you ... I'll put your head to the end of the bowsprit of your ship!" Cat heard more of his laughter, making her even angrier. "You will die... and at my hands, Captain Blackbeard! Just you wait!"  
  
She heard him walk away from the door laughing uncontrollably. Cat couldn't help but wonder what she had said was so funny.  
  
******  
  
"She's been on Blackbeard's side since the beginning Jack. There's no treasure here on Palm Rock." Will watched as Jack paced the back alleyway.   
  
Elizabeth continued, "It was the meeting place of her and Blackbeard. You should be thankful that you are safe and that Blackbeard and his crew are leaving."  
  
Jack looked at them both. "And you two didn't tell me?" He seemed unusually sober. "That was a very interestin' tid bit that I'd have gladly taken in..." He paused and kicked the building. "BEFORE NOW!" He kept on with his useless jabbering. "... 'ones'ly - you people must like to keep secrets from ol' Captain Jack. First it was the wedding, now it's this..." Jack looked at Elizabeth. "You're not the Queen o' England are you? And you!" His eyes shifted to Will. "You're not Bootstrap reincarnated are you?!?"  
  
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other as if to ask if they were Bootstrap reincarnated or the Queen of England, respectively. The both shook their head no.  
  
"Jack - " Elizabeth started, but Captain Sparrow interrupted.  
  
"I see it now. She was actin' rather ... odd when we got 'ere." His eyes brightened as if a huge weight had been dropped off his shoulders. "Well, now, one less woman on the ship - no offense, Elizabeth, luv."  
  
Jack smiled and began to walk off towards the Black Pearl that was still docked. "To the ship, me 'earties!"  
  
Will and Elizabeth followed. If Jack seemed to be okay with everything, then they would be too.  
  
******  
  
"Do ya fink ol' Cap'n Jack will come back ter the Pearl tonigh'?" The raspy voice of one of Blackbeard's men was heard. Jack shook his head. He knew that this would happen. Already aboard his ship ... well, it was worth the chance that Blackbeard was a dull-minded twit.  
  
"Nah, Monty. Dat Cap'n Jack be skeered ter come back. I tol' Cap'n that he wouldn'. Beats me ... me thinks that Cap'n Blackbeard knows somethin' we don', though."  
  
Jack, Will and Elizabeth were below the dock, their heads barely above water, listening to the two pirates converse.  
  
"Do we have to do it like this?" Elizabeth whispered into Will's ear but Will put a finger to her mouth to silence her.  
  
"A plan Jack?" Will whispered to Jack, as he saw Jack trying to formulate a plan. The captain shook his head no.  
  
"Aiieee!"  
  
"Who be thar!?" The pirates on the dock, said in unison. Jack and Will turned to look at Elizabeth who had an expression of pain on her face. She whimpered a little, her face turning slightly blue as she held in more outbursts. While, up above, more pirates came down to see what the screaming was about.  
  
"Eeahhh!"  
  
Jack turned to look at both Will and Elizabeth. His eyes were wide as he put his finger to his mouth, trying to shush them. The pirates up above were starting to scramble around more.  
  
"Sounds like they be right 'ere ... but I don't see nuffin'."  
  
"Where they be, lads?!"  
  
"Below the dock, ye mangy rotten fleas!"  
  
Jack ducked below the water, just in the nick of time, before the pirates pulled Will and Elizabeth out and onto the dock above.  
  
While under water, Jack saw what was making Will and Elizabeth howl in pain. A small jellyfish was swimming around ... heading straight for Jack. He found a small piece of driftwood floating on the surface and used it to push the jellyfish away.  
  
Jack came back up to get some air, but he still heard the voices of the two pirates up on the dock. They were talking about how Jack Sparrow must be around somewhere ... and too cowardly to come for his own ship. Sending a woman and a young man to get it in his place, and so on and so forth. Jack shook his head and thought how stupid some pirates could be.  
  
******  
  
"I think ye three will git along famously..." Cat heard Blackbeard's voice and the sound of shuffling feet. She had some visitors.  
  
"Traitor..." Will's melodious voice rang in her ears. He must be so happy to see her.  
  
"Nice to see you too." Cat shifted her weight onto the other side. She grimaced as the pain hit her again. "Ah..."  
  
"What did you do? Hurt yourself so that we would give you comfort?" Elizabeth spat at her. Catharine was beginning to wish she wasn't being held back by the shackles. How dare her. How dare him.   
  
"Oh, and I suppose that you would fake pain if you had been whipped with the cat-o-nine-tails with Moses' Law, aye?" Cat finally lifted her eyes up, looking at them. She could tell that they didn't care whether she lived or died.  
  
"What's that?" Will's voice wasn't as harsh, but Cat could tell that he was trying to sound mean.  
  
Cat took a deep breath, the cuts on her back stretched and she tensed up. "Moses' Law isn't actually a law. It's a form of pirate punishment. Any pirate that doesn't follow the code is punished ... it depends on the code broken." She paused, trying not to think of the pain, the God-awful pain. "In biblical times ... it was said that if you whipped a person 40 times that they would die. Well, somehow if someone didn't die and you did give them a good lashing of 40 - then you too would die. So, 39 whips, was just enough to keep a man, or woman in my case, alive, but on the verge of death."  
  
Cat heard a gasp from Elizabeth. She smiled a little; finally she had someone who cared, if not for her, for the pain. Cat continued on, pushing the pain back, and not daring to move.  
  
"A cat-o-nine-tails is a whip that has nine whips attached to the handle. One lash gives you nine hits. So multiply 39 times nine. I've had a lot more than 39 lashings. I passed out from the pain around 25 - and I highly doubt that they stopped hitting me. Blackbeard told them to continue until 39, no matter if I was dead or not." Cat smiled a little. How she was managing to smile at all was a miracle, even to her. "But, I'm still going."  
  
"You deserved it." Will said in disgust. Clearly not believing what she said.  
  
"William Turner!" Elizabeth came to her rescue. "How dare you talk to her like that? She never did anything to you! Yes, perhaps she was on the wrong side at one time, but look at her now. If Blackbeard considered her to be on his side, do you think that he would lock her away here?" Her hands were on her hips. A woman scorned. If Cat wasn't locked up, and if she could move - she'd give her the biggest hug in the world. "And he would definitely *not* torture her so."  
  
"One thing - " Will looked at Elizabeth and then down to Cat. "She did do something to me. The first day that I met her - do you not remember? Knocked you out and pointed my own sword at me... which, came in rather handy when I was fighting Blackbeard." He smiled.  
  
"You gave old' Blackbeard those cuts? From a move I showed you?" Cat leaned up against the wall. A big mistake and a shriek of pain through gritted teeth.  
  
"Yes - I steered Captain Sparrow away from Blackbeard. He was too intoxicated to duel at the time." Elizabeth sat beside Cat and began to work on the shackles with a bobby pin. "Don't worry - I'll help treat your wounds. There is a basin in the corner with water and a cloth."  
  
"Then I took over and showed him a few of your moves that you showed me on that fateful day." He chuckled and put on a show as Elizabeth worked on the shackles. "Where did you learn it all from?"  
  
One arm free. "Thank you." Another grimace of pain, but she pushed it aside. "A samurai. I traveled around the world trying to become the best pirate. If this is what I get for trying - then I would have rathered staying at home."  
  
"A samurai?" Will grabbed the basin and brought it to Elizabeth, sitting on the other side of Cat. "You went to Asia?"  
  
"Well, not exactly a samurai. He was a former samurai. Master Xin was a great pirate as well. He died a month after I left Japan." The other wrist was free. Will and Elizabeth helped her as she lay on her stomach. They began to clean her wounds. At first the pain was too much, but after they were cleaned, her back felt ten times better.  
  
"Any other secrets?" Elizabeth asked as she continued working. Cat saw that the water in the basin was completely red with her blood by now.  
  
"I am not the Black Cat anymore." Catharine said defiantly. "Oh, and that I met the czar of Russia - but that's all."  
  
"Really? What was he like?" Elizabeth and Will were surprised.  
  
"Kidding." Cat smiled as the two continued to work on her back.  
  
******  
  
The next morning (or night - Cat was beginning to lose track of the time), Blackbeard came in with a swift pace, the light of a lantern in his hand (either real early in the morning or late at night - it didn't matter though - his news made what time of day it was seem stupid).  
  
"Ah - see ye've got Miss Cat... o-nine-tails out o' her shackles." He chuckled a little. "Not that it will 'elp ye." Blackbeard looked at the basin full of bloody water and sighed.  
  
"No matter. Yer Cap'n Jack Sparrow has been caught. Always 'ad a soft 'eart. Makes'em so predictable." And with that he turned, but looked back at the three of them one last time. "Now tha' I 'ave Jack - we'll be at the Isle o' Spirits in no time. And yer deaths will come rather soon, I fear." He put his hat to his heart, and began to laugh, locking the door behind him.  
  
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A/N : So how 'bout it? Read and review please. I love my reviewers - did I tell you all that? :) I do, I really do!  
  
The sequel to IoS is rather funny - definitely not as serious. Promise. :) If you don't review though - I'll stop writing!! Yes! I *would* do such a horrible and evil thing...   
  
I'm so proud of myself that I have to tell everybody again... I actually studied some pirate stuff! The cat-o-nine-tails was an actual punishment device used by pirates ! That was purely a coincidence that I found out about the cat-o-nine-tails ... and the first three letters being Cat's name and all.  
  
All of you who are now beginning to hate Blackbeard - well, in real life he actually died by how I made Cat tell him he was going to die. LOL! Yep - lopped off his head. Wonderful stuff -- that's why this is rated PG-13 for my violence-inclined nature. :) 


	9. A Captain of Silence

Disclaimer : I don't own, nor do I claim to own anything from 'Pirates of the Caribbean.' I ain't 2 purtee smaht ter fink up stauhff like'at. :)  
  
To all my reviewers : How can I thank thee? Let me count the ways... one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand.   
  
Obviously a poem of that magnitude must be read under the most precautious of eyes. :) Now, onto the story.  
  
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Chapter 9 : A Captain of Silence  
  
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The clink of metal against wood and Cat opened her eyes. The blur of sleep still hanging on the lids made the room hazy, but she caught site of a furry little animal running around with a necklace. She tried blinking again, but the haze did not leave. Suddenly, the necklace was dangling in front of her. It was gorgeous. Gold. Aztec gold.  
  
Cat blinked a few more times, trying to get a better look at the necklace. She sat up straight and looked around, her vision clear. No animal and no necklace.  
  
"It was a dream." She mumbled to herself as she realized that she was still in pain. "Ah."  
  
"Shh!" Will was at the cabin door, ear propped up against it. He held his finger to his lips.  
  
Cat slowly crawled across the room, and sat beside him. The pain went through her body again. She had reopened a few wounds on her back. Pushing the pain back, she too, put her ear to the door.  
  
******  
  
"How'd ye do it, Jack?" Blackbeard was circling the Captain, laughing at him.  
  
"Must I remind you?" Jack smiled and leaned forward. "Captain Jack."  
  
"Oh, righ'. Captain Jack." Blackbeard looked at Jack's wrists. His wrists were tied behind his back. Somehow, the Captain of the Black Pearl had mysteriously boarded the ship without any of Blackbeard's crew knowing. He was at his cabin door about to open the door and let all his "friends" out before the crew caught him. "How did ye git aboard the ship?"  
  
"Do I look like a fool to ye?" Jack laughed a little and saw that Blackbeard was glaring at him. "Maybe I do... " He cleared his throat and tried to get free of the really strong crewmember, it wasn't working. "I don't tell my secrets, Mr. Beard."  
  
Blackbeard flinched when Jack called him 'Mr. Beard' but continued on, trying not to kill the one man that he needed more than anything. "Then why did ye invoke the right o' parlay (A/N - I know it's supposedly French - but I like spelling it this way.)? Obviously ye wanted ter talk ter me."  
  
"To make a deal. A bargain. A righ' ol' switch-a-roo, mate." Jack arched an eyebrow, waiting for Blackbeard to make up his mind. He looked deep in thought at the idea. "If ye let Will and Elizabeth Turner go free," Jack saw the smile on Blackbeard's face, but Jack was too smart. "Safely free back to their homes," The smile faded, and Captain Sparrow's kohl-painted eyes sparkled. "Then I will gladly go through the obstacles on the Isle of Spirits again, mate. Just for you."  
  
"Fine." Blackbeard heaved a sigh. "I'll le' the boy 'n his bonnie lass go safely free back ter ye ship, that way they can go back ter they're 'ome. An' I keep ye an' ye'll get me that treasure on the Isle o' Spirits." Jack nodded, looking at the guy behind him to release him now, but no luck. "O' course - we can't 'ave'em followin' us, now can we? So - if I see the Black Sails, an' they're a-comin' fer ya, I'll kill 'em."  
  
******  
  
Elizabeth had joined Will and Cat as they listened to the scene just outside the cabin door.  
  
Will and Elizabeth looked at Cat after they heard that she was not in the deal.  
  
"I am so sorry." Elizabeth patted Cat's arm.  
  
"But, don't you worry; you will get out of here. If Jack had known that you weren't a traitor, you would be in the deal." Will smiled reassuringly, but his tone did not back him up.  
  
"Don't pity me. Everything is just coming back times one hundred, that's all." Cat shrugged. "All the things I did, I was bound to get some sort of punishment sooner or later." She sighed and put her ear up to the door again, hoping that she would hear some better news in store for her future.  
  
"Um, Cat... " Elizabeth tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Watch it. Back, remember?" Cat's muscles tensed causing even more pain, but she gritted her teeth. "Yes?"  
  
"The Isle of Spirits. I have never heard about it before." Elizabeth didn't apologize, but the look in her eyes was good enough for Cat.  
  
"Yes, what exactly is the Isle of Spirits?" Will's voice was hushed as if it were a deadly secret.  
  
"A pirate's legend if you ask me. Don't know why Blackbeard is so set on going there - it doesn't exist." Cat said defiantly. "But, the story goes that the pirates of old would bury their treasure there. The amount of booty continued to grow, and before long it became the most sought after place for rogues and buccaneers of all types. There is so much treasure there that one would need all of the Spanish Armada, times 100, to carry it all."  
  
Will and Elizabeth were clearly enjoying the story as they let out a proper gasp of awe. Cat continued on.  
  
"But - the last pirate to put his treasure there died. Unnatural or natural causes, it didn't matter. He died, and he vowed that no one would ever touch the treasure and live to see the light of day again. He called on the four guardians: earth, air, water, and fire. They would protect the treasure for all eternity, so that the pirate could be with the one thing that he loved most forever and never have it taken away from him."   
  
"If it is just a legend, how come people still try and search for it?" Will asked, clearly enjoying the story.  
  
"I think the island did exist at one time, but the waves of many storms washed it away. They are chasing nothing more than seaweed and starfish, now. But, the idea of being the richest person in the world just captivates people and they go looking for something they cannot find." Cat shrugged and laid face down on the cool floor.  
  
"The guardians... what exactly are they?" Elizabeth asked.  
  
"Well - they are spirits. That is why it is called the Isle of Spirits. The water guardians are supposedly huge piranhas that could swallow a man whole. The others I have never heard about, but I would bet that they would be just as bad." Cat closed her eyes and yawned. She slowly drifted back off to sleep.  
  
******  
  
Catharine was awakened by the sweet aroma of the salty sea air... and a tang of... Captain Jack Sparrow? She opened her eyes quickly and realized that she wasn't in the cabin anymore, and that she had a few ropes around her middle. A sound to her left made it perfectly clear that she wasn't tied up alone, either.  
  
"Jack?" Cat tried to move, but her back scraped against the hard wood of the barrel that she and Jack shared. "Oh, Lord!"  
  
Jack didn't even look at her, he was staring out into the ocean.   
  
Cat looked down at the deck and sighed. He had the right to be angry with her. If it wasn't for her, then he wouldn't even be in this mess and he could be doing whatever he wanted to do. Raid other ships, give a few Commodore's and Captain's from His Majesty's navy a run for their money, escape death how *he* pleased, or find a few treasure maps and search for the treasure. But, no. Cat ruined all hope for Captain Jack Sparrow, and she knew it.  
  
"Argh!" Cat knew that voice. "Git the two love birds a small boat. A raft o' some sor'."  
  
A few crewmembers were bustling around the barrel that held Jack and Cat. They looked afraid of Blackbeard and Cat wondered if they would even dare to think of being mutinous at all.  
  
"You black-hearted scoundrel!" Elizabeth came into Cat's view and came inches away from slapping him, but a crewmember stopped her and threw her into the boat for her and Will.  
  
"Thanky, milady." Blackbeard took off his hat and gave a low bow. The crew laughed, but not heartedly like Blackbeard. "And, take heed o' the deal Captain Sparrow made with me. If ye come to rescue him, or Miss DeVries, I'll be killin' ya rather quickly I do fear."  
  
"We're not scared of you!" Elizabeth tried to get out of the boat again, but Will stopped her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back in. She looked at him in awe as if he was supposed to be trying to save Jack and Cat.  
  
"Elizabeth." Will's voice soothed her and he winked at her, and then he changed his tone. "There is nothing we can do. Blackbeard will keep them safe ... we may yet again, see them. We are going home..." Elizabeth's mouth dropped open, but she gave a slight nod, as if she knew what he was thinking. "Now. Besides, we have plenty of food to get us back to Palm Rock and from there... home."  
  
"Goo'lad." Blackbeard complimented as he thought things were going his way. "Now - say goo'bye ter ye friends. It may just be the las' time ye'll ever see'em again." He turned and walked into his cabin, leaving orders to a tough-looking pirate.  
  
"Goodbye, mates." Jack said under his breath, as Elizabeth and Will were lowered to the waters below in their boat.  
  
Cat sighed, as she watched their heads slowly disappear over the side.  
  
"Ye two are now wif me. Cap'n lef' me orders ter lock ye up and throw away ther key." The pirate pulled the barrel, making Jack and Cat nearly fall, towards a different area below deck. He loosened the rope and threw them, and the barrel, into a cell. After he locked the cell door, he smiled at them, his yellow and black teeth nearly falling out.  
  
"Well, 'ope ye two we'll be a-gettin' along famously-like." He turned on his heel and headed towards the upper deck.  
  
As soon as the pirate was gone, Jack took the ropes off and moved the barrel against one side of the cell. He sat on it, putting his elbows on his knees, and resting his chin on his hands. He flipped his hat over his eyes, not wanting to make eye contact with Cat. Jack sighed and then was still.  
  
Catharine didn't want to bother him, but she felt that she needed to say something.  
  
"Jack... I mean... Captain Sparrow," Not even a flinch from the Captain. "I just wanted to say that you are a very admirable pirate, and you are a very good man. Not many men would do that for their friends ... and definitely if they were a pirate like you." Cat took a deep breath, the sores on her back stretching again. "You have done honorably."  
  
Jack Sparrow was as still as a statue. Cat looked around the cell, and finding no other piece of furniture to sit on, chose a corner opposite of Jack and sat down. Her back felt unusually better, and without the annoyance of the pain, she began to drift off into a daydream.  
  
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A/N : If you haven't guessed by now. I am Cliffhanger Queen. *smiles*  
  
I feel it brings more drama to the story. Wahoo. Oh, and before anybody mentions it - yes, I do know that 50 lashings can kill a man. Cat just needed some more pain. She's becoming a little Mary Sue-ish to me. Makin' her nice and miserable for a little while. See... I made her too good with weapons, you already know that her father died when she was young, she's learned how to handle weapons from a samurai, and she's a female pirate. Good thing that I haven't made her the fairest maiden on the sea (I only give slight accounts on how people look and I know that - I'm bad at descriptions - I let the reader make their own mental picture). And, it's also a good thing that I didn't name her after me, eh? Hehe.   
  
Read and review!! I'll love you forever! Seriously - I like good critiques. And a warning to flamers... I might flame back, if provoked. :) 


	10. When Lightening Strikes Water

Disclaimer - Nope not a DT (dern thang). Don't own a DT. All copyright of Disney. S'all theirs.  
  
I swear that I am finishing this story. I mean, hello... I have a sequel in the works. I'm busy with school already. Do NOT panic. I will be updating - just not as much.  
  
I love you all still. Promise! And DO NOT worry! I am not leaving my story to rot on the rocks... or hang in the gallows... or... well, you get the picture.  
  
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Chapter 10 - When Lightening Strikes Water  
  
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"Will ... " Elizabeth watched as the Queen Anne's Revenge sailed off, leaving her and Will in a boat (well - it was more of a raft) to get 'safely' back to Palm Rock. She laughed a little. There was no way that they would ever find their way back to Palm Rock alive. Blackbeard was cruel ... and unless he really did keep his word...   
  
"Yes?" Elizabeth shook her head clear of all thought. Will was rowing and not even paying attention to her.  
  
"Do you think - "  
  
"Elizabeth!!" Will nearly fell off the raft-boat-thing.  
  
"What!?" Elizabeth looked in the direction that Will was looking. Black sails! The Black Pearl!  
  
"Jack must have swam to the Revenge, Elizabeth. No other way." Will grinned and looked at the food. "Bet it's poison."  
  
"Definitely. But - how could he swim so far?" Elizabeth looked back towards the Queen Anne's Revenge, and then back to the Pearl. They were right in the middle of the two. And Elizabeth could barely see the Queen Anne's Revenge anymore. There was no way that the Revenge could see the Pearl.  
  
"It's Captain Jack Sparrow... probably made a few whistles and a heard of sea cows came at his beck and call." Will began to row towards the Black Pearl, clearly not believing that luck had came to their side.  
  
"Oh, nonsense."  
  
******  
  
"Then things went black. Blacker than black." Catharine was leaning against the cell, using her hands to tell the story. "I heard a 'whoosh' go past my head." She moved her left hand across her face as if fanning herself. "And would you believe it but the idiot was trying to duel against me... *ME*... in the dark."  
  
Cat sighed and looked at the Captain in the corner. It was rather unusual having him be still, silent ... and sober to boot. Odd combination on this Captain.  
  
"Well, then we fought." Cat moved her hands as if fighting an invisible opponent. "He did not even have the slightest of any chance. One quick thrust... " She snapped her fingers. "Dead. And that's where I was first called the Black Cat. Defeating someone in the blackest and darkest of places. I think he wanted that name for himself..."  
  
Still no movement.  
  
"Jack," Cat snorted, "I want you to know that you are the worst cell partner I have ever had." She paused. "Well, I've never been in a cell before - but I'm sure that at least other cell partners talk."  
  
Jack looked up at her tilting his hat up. His eyes were in a hard stare and he tilted the hat back over them, turning to face the other side of the cell. Cat heaved another sigh.  
  
"Impossible... you are impossible." Cat folded her arms defiantly, her eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flaring. "You have nerve, Captain... SPARROW!"  
  
She could not take him not talking to her anymore. How many times had she apologized already while he was sitting there on that barrel? At least twenty times if not more. Damn him for being such a... a... man!  
  
Catharine stood up straight, the searing pain in her back took over, but she pushed it back. "You ... I cannot believe that you are not talking to me! A nod... a nod! Can I have a nod? Or just wave your right pinky toe, for God's sake!! I have apologized so many times..." Her voice broke.  
  
The pain from the lashing and the pain of having a friend of hers not even give her the time of day was too much. She collapsed to the floor in a sobbing fit.  
  
Jack yanked around and tipped his hat up. He jumped up and bent down to her, and put his hand on her back. Her muscles tensed from the pain and when he lifted up his hand, blood was seeping through her clothes. His eyes went wide and he just shook his head.  
  
"How many times?" Jack's voice was monotone.  
  
"Moses' Law with the cat-o-nine-tails." Cat said through gritted teeth, and then she passed out. Jack sat on the ground beside her and put the hat under her head. He shook his head and went back to his barrel muttering ... "Moses' Law... on a woman? Not even Barbossa would 'ave done that..."  
  
******  
  
Blackbeard watched as the sun arose. The Isle of Spirits would be arising from the depths of the sea at any moment now. He held the map close to his chest, as if it were his lifeline.  
  
"Bring down the main mast, Gents!" Blackbeard held up the hand with the map. "Here be were the Isle'll be arisin' from dear ol' Davy Jones. Oh... an' the prisoner's." The crew chuckled. "They'll want ter see this."  
  
Two pirates went down into the brig and came back up with Jack and Cat. Jack was struggling to get loose as well as kicking at anything that came close to him. Cat walked on her own accord; the pirate's hand was at the middle of her back pushing in on the wounds.  
  
"Argh, glad ter sees that ye're healthy." Blackbeard opened the map and showed it to Jack. "Look Jack. The Isle o' Spirits. Do ye remember? Remember how it comes out o' the sea... "  
  
As soon as Blackbeard had said it... a huge bolt of lightning streaked from the rising sun and hit the water right in front of the Queen Anne's Revenge. The crack of thunder created a surge of waves, and as if it were a miracle, none of the waves came close to the ship. The water began to rise in front of the ship, and the only sound louder than the whooshing of the water was of Blackbeard's cackling laugh.  
  
When the waves ceased, a fog appeared and Blackbeard stood there, as if waiting for something. And then, as quickly as the fog appeared, it disappeared and in its place ... there was land.  
  
"Land ahoy, me 'earties! Drop anchor, and ready the 'ostages!" Blackbeard yelled at the top of his lungs.  
  
More pirates swarmed around Cat and Jack and picked them up. They tossed them into the water, letting them swim to land.  
  
"Cold!" Cat was shocked by how cold the water was. Especially in the Caribbean, and it not even being winter. The shock slowed down her swimming, but she knew that she had to, or else the salt would get into all the wounds and she would be in a terrible mess of pain.  
  
Blackbeard leaned over the rail of the ship and yelled down to Jack and Cat, now crawling onto the shore. "Now that yer on the isle... yer ter be bringin' me all the treasure."  
  
Cat rolled her eyes, "And if we don't!" She screamed at Blackbeard from the sandy beach. She could feel the salt from the water seeping into her wounds. She winced and sat down exhausted.  
  
"Ye're going ter die anyway, me dear." Blackbeard waved at her cheerily, as if it was the best news he had heard in a long time. "Oh, an' Jack!" Jack was looking at his boots, clearly not enjoying the situation. "Ye can kill 'er if ye want. She is on my side... great li'l actress ain't she? The Black Cat, she is. We'll be back fer ye ... that is ... if ye ain't dead either." And with that Blackbeard's face disappeared from the side of the ship, and Jack and Cat watched as the Queen Anne's Revenge sailed into the fog.  
  
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A/N : Yeehaw! 'Nother one o' them cliffhanger thangs. Muah! Ha! Ha! Bwah! Ha! Ha! *cough*choke* HA!  
  
Yes - this be a rather short chappy. But, guess what - s'all good. It's startin' to get good. Isle of Spirits... BABY!  
  
Review please... or else I shalt never update again! *more evil cackles and laughter... and... snorting?* Oh, well. :) 


	11. Rumble Runnings

Disclaimer : Disney owns everything. I own Cat and the Isle of Spirits... and yadda, yadda, yadda... bleh, blah, blih. Don't sue 'n junk. :)  
  
Aw - I love my reviewers. Y'all are the bestest reviewers! And hey - I might just break 45 reviews by the end of this chapter!! But let's shoot for 50... eh?  
  
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Chapter 11 : Rumble Runnings  
  
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Jack narrowed his eyes into the fog and Cat just sat on the beach waiting for the one and only person who had ever survived the Isle to bark some orders.  
  
"Didn't even give me my affects!" Jack shook his head. "All pirates, when maroonin' another pirate for certain death, give the marooned pirate at least a pistol with one shot. Havin' yer first mate commit mutiny on ya is better than this."  
  
Cat rolled her eyes. "I know perfectly well what pirates are supposed to do and not do."  
  
"Do ya now?" Jack's eyes were emblazoned with fury as he stomped past her and collapsed down into the sand a good 15 feet away from her.  
  
"I know why you want your 'affects' - " Cat stood up; crystals of sand digging themselves into her wounds. "You want to get rid of me... you have been working alongside Blackbeard the entire time! You two *wanted* to get rid of me ... the best pirate who *ever* sailed the sea. There is a pistol around here somewhere, why don't you just put my out of my misery, eh, Jack? Come on! Freely giving you a chance to shoot me. Do not let this miraculous opportunity pass you by. Aren't you always one for an opportune moment?"  
  
Jack just sat there looking into the fog. Cat figured that she had made him mad again.  
  
"Listen, if you are not talking to me again, can you at least scribble in the sand where I can go to get off this bit of land?" Cat watched as Jack looked over and smiled at her. He then looked back out into the water. Cat lifted her chin and closed her eyes trying to hold her tongue, "Oh, I forgot - you can't write."  
  
Jack reared his head around at this. He stood up, looked at her, reached for his pistol, realized it wasn't there, held out both his hands in a choking motion, put one hand down, the other hand curled into a fist, and he began to move forward very slowly. Cat took a wary step back, just in time when the Captain was right in front of her. His fist was shaking, he looked like he needed a drink, and fast by the look of the shaking. The fist slowly began to form... the index finger gnarled out from the fist and he pointed it right at her nose.  
  
"I - " He yanked down his hand and turned on his heels. Cat smiled to herself.  
  
******  
  
Catharine had caught up with Jack, he had been wanting to hide from her, now that she knew that she could get a rise out of him any time she wanted, he didn't like the idea of having her with him. Even though he had kept his cool for a while, and even through the silence, he could tell that she was formulating her next move of attack. He didn't have to wait long.  
  
"Never would have been in the mess had I not gone soft ... and we would both be rather happy. Me? I would not be on this God-forsaken spit of an Isle. You? You... well... you... nevermind." Cat lowered her head, clearly she hadn't thought out her attack as well as she had hoped for.  
  
"Kind o' glad ya went soft." Jack said. Cat blinked, trying to process the words.  
  
"You know - you are actually quite nice without the rum." Cat looked at their surroundings; they had been walking away from the beach for a while now. They were on a dirt path, with an assortment of trees on either side of them. It seemed to them that the only life was the plant life. Cat shivered. "And having you not trip over your own two feet is another nice oddity."  
  
Jack whirled around, only an inch away from her face. His hand was in a fist, and slowly morphed into a hand with the pointing finger. "Any wench would be lucky t'ave me! I am Captain Jack Sparrow, luv! Look at me!" He modeled for her with a quick turn around, his hair whipping around with the force of the turn and hitting him in the face.  
  
"Right." Cat said sarcastically. "Like you have ever had a woman before. When that becomes reality, oh great Captain Sparrow, please, I would like to be the very first to know." She rolled her eyes and began to continue walking, but Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her back.  
  
"It has happened!" More of the pointing finger. Cat slapped his hand down and began to walk again. He grabbed her by the arm again, pulling her back. "I 'ave had too many women to count!" Jack then furrowed his brow, *A lie? Whoa, mate, this lass must've really worked her attack well. Wait - I 'ave had plenty o' women. Just as any good pirate, erm - male pirate, that is, should.* "I am Captain Jack - "  
  
Cat punched him hard in the nose, and with all that extra effort, the sand dug deeper into the cuts as the Captain fell off the trail and onto the lush green beside the trail.  
  
"I know, too, bloody well who you are, Jack!" Cat winced at the pain on her back as she shook her hand from the hit. "You say that all of the time, mate."  
  
"Ow... nose... hit... ow!" Jack was rubbing his nose.  
  
"Oh, you are perfectly healthy. I did not hit you hard enough to even make blood flow." Cat smiled at herself, as if she deserved a prize.  
  
"Ow...." Jack moaned as Cat held out her hand to pull him up. "Do ye hear tha'?" He looked around, and Cat followed suit.  
  
"What is that?" Cat said as she helped Jack up, her wounds stretching more.  
  
"And I should know... becaaaauuuuuse?" Jack hit Cat in the arm with his hand, trying to get her back for the punch. His nose was still throbbing.  
  
"Becaaaaauuuuse... YOU... dear Captain," She hit him back, "Have been on this Isle before and lived to tell the tale. Why should you not know?"  
  
"People take me serious?" Jack said with a laugh. The rumbling grew louder. "I was a' me most drunken state to date when I told e'erybody I had been to the Isle o' Spirits."   
  
Cat looked at him; she knew exactly what he was going to say. If there were a pistol to be found, she'd find it first and kill him for the fun of it. "So you lied? It was all a game to you? And now we are stuck here because you decided to go and get drunk and tell ALL of your little friends that you saw the treasure on the Isle of Spirits!?!?!!"  
  
"Calm down ... I was drunk, remember, luv?" Jack held up his hand to calm her down. He swayed slightly as if remembering the sweet sensation of the smell and taste of rum. "I 'eard about the Isle from me uncle who set foot upon this here spit o' an Isle and then got right back onto his ship." Cat's mouth dropped open. "I never braved the obstacles o' the Isle, nor did I see the treasure." He sighed.  
  
"You ... you lied?"  
  
"After I said that, I couldn't very well go back on me word now could I?" Jack said with a laugh. The look on Cat's face was priceless. Her eyes were dull and lifeless and her mouth slightly open. Dumbfounded was the word.  
  
"You lied!" It was her turn to ball up her fist and morph it into a pointing finger. "LIAR!"  
  
"Pirate." Jack corrected, the smile on his face showed that he felt no remorse.  
  
"I am too, but you do not see my lying about seeing the great treasure on the Isle! If it weren't for you, Sparrow, we wouldn't even have met each other!" Cat took a deep breath, her back was hurting a lot, if she let her anger get the best of her, she would pass out again. "Thank you, *ever* so much, Jack."  
  
"Well, 'ad ya told me that it was all just a part that you were playin' for Blackbeard then we could be in hidin'!" Jack pointed his finger right back at her, but put it down, not wanting to be hit again. "Oh, and you're welc-" Before Jack could finish, the rumblings grew louder. Jack looked up and saw what the rumblings were. Rocks. Tons of rocks heading straight for them. "Luv, I think we need to run."  
  
"What!?!" Cat seemed to be to in her little world at the moment. Jack grabbed her and pulled her in the opposite direction of the rocks.  
  
"Rockslide! That's what!"  
  
They ran down the path, not looking back, too scared to see how close the rocks were coming towards them. The rumblings began to get louder and rocks started to fall from the sky out of no where. It seemed like hours had passed before they came to the end of the path, as well as the end of the earth.   
  
"Wonderful... a cliff!" Jack raised his hands in desperation.  
  
"I know what it is!" Cat screamed in a high pitch tone. The running had made the pain in her back extreme, and she felt that it would be better to die now anyway.  
  
"We're dead." Jack said as he pointed to a cut piece of rope.  
  
The bridge that had once gone over the crevasse had been cut, and whatever was below was hidden by fog. The looked behind them, then to each other, back to the rocks, and down into what could be anything. Jack shrugged and jumped, Cat tried to stop him, but when she did she too went down into the dense fog below.  
  
******  
  
"Jack, you are an idiot!" Cat screamed at Jack. They were still falling from the cliff, and they had been falling for a while now.  
  
"Well nestime I'll jus' let us be rock mash and gruel, eh luv!?" Jack yelled back.   
  
The next thing they both knew they hit freezing cold water. Cat took in a deep breath of air, and felt the sand, dirt, and germs slowly washing away from her infected and bruised back. She relaxed and felt the water slowly healing the wounds. Then, without any recollection of anything she woke up on a small isle in the middle of a river, with Jack beside her.  
  
"If it wasn't fer me kind heart - you'd be drowned by now." Jack said. He was standing looking around, very fearful, but keeping stable. "The water is enchanted. Healed a few cuts I had, too... had more effect on you, though, lass."  
  
"Thanks, Jack." Cat sat up, and felt no pain. She took in a breath of air, letting her back muscles stretch, and still no pain. She sighed and lay back down.  
  
"It's back." Jack said solemnly. Cat sat up; she did not want to believe what she saw. The stories couldn't be true could they?  
  
"What is that?" Cat watched as the water around them rippled as the outline of a creature so huge passed right beside the little piece of land.  
  
"Remember the stories?" Jack grabbed a small rock from the ground, looked at it, and figured it was the best weapon he had, even if the opponent had bigger weapons.  
  
"Yes ... " Cat gulped.  
  
"Thirty foot piranha that can swallow a man in one gulp." They said in unison.   
  
The huge sea monster lifted its head out of the water, and eyed them hungrily as it swam slowly close to them. And then it opened its mouth and let out a long howl.  
  
"It's callin' its mates." Jack whispered.  
  
"More like saying dinner is served." Cat grabbed a small rock too. Blackbeard was right, they would die, and she couldn't just stand around and die. She would put up a fight, and if her only weapon was a rock, then she would use it well.  
  
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A/N : Aw, shucks. You gotta wait until I update... I'm so evil. Mwahahahahahaha!!  
  
For all ye li'l romance-inclined readers - this chapter was for you. Wasn't lovey-dovey, but hey, they're just friends. It's a different kind of love. :) A love-hate thing. 


	12. Xin and the Gang

Disclaimer : Still nothing. :) Promise that I don't own a thing and don't claim to.  
  
What happened to Will and Elizabeth? I promise they haven't dropped off the face of the earth!! They'll be back!!  
  
Now, on with the story, mates!  
  
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Chapter 12 : Xin and the Gang  
  
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The huge piranha howled again and turned in the opposite direction from Jack and Catharine. They're tensed muscles relaxed as they saw it swim off, rippling the water as it went.  
  
"Maybe he just ate, eh?" Jack said with a small laugh. Clearly happy that the piranha was moving away. He spun on his heel and dropped the rock he held in his hand. "Knew they'd be scared o' old Cap'n Jack, I did."  
  
Cat watched the small waves crash up against the small piece of land that they were stranded on. She sat down and enjoyed the feeling of no pain and of no sounds at all. The ripples in the water began to strengthen, and a large splash sounded behind her. Cat stood up and looked behind her. Jack was gone.  
  
"Jack?" Cat whispered meekly. "Jack!?" Had he fell into the water?  
  
A huge roar of a sound came to her ears. The piranha had come back with its friends. And Jack was right in the middle of all of the monsters. And he was talking to them as if they could actually understand him.   
  
Cat smacked her forehead in desperation. "What an idiot."  
  
"Mates... mates... I know tha' ye all must be starvin', but let me tell ye that way down the river... " A piranha snapped its jaws in annoyance. Jack gulped. "I saw a nice 'n juicy ... "  
  
Cat watched as the group of sea monsters did not even make a move towards the captain. It was if they really understood him. "Deer!" Cat shouted as she threw a rock and hit one of the piranhas in the head, not even fazing it.  
  
"Right! A deer... drinkin' from the water... " The piranha's all eyed him trying to see if he was lying, or just looking for a good place to bite him.  
  
The head piranha shifted its eyes to Cat on the isle, and its eyes gleamed in hunger. It began to swim towards her, and all of the other piranhas followed suit. It was Cat's turn to gulp.  
  
One of the piranhas leapt out of the water and onto the small piece of land, knocking Cat off into the freezing water. It's tail whapped her upside the head and when the healing waters got rid of the pain, she realized that she was surrounded.  
  
"Nice little fishes." Cat tried to dog paddle past one of the piranha's. "Erma, I mean, big fish." The head piranha rushed towards her and the next thing she knew she was being yanked underwater, and being pulled deeper still. She looked to see what was pulling her... none other than Jack Sparrow. He was pulling them towards a small door-like structure close to the bottom of the river. They swam through it and Cat thought that her lungs were about to burst until they hit an air pocket.  
  
"Brilliant Jack." Cat coughed as she laid on the rock, and took in the surroundings. It wasn't an air pocket after all. An underwater cave with air, of course it was rather humid and smelled like mildew but it was better than being almost eaten by a huge thirty-foot piranha. There was barely enough light to see and Cat figured that an opening to something other than water was close by. On the rock floor there were bones of skeletons ... and that made Cat question her idea of an opening.  
  
"Course." Jack said as he kicked at a skeleton's bones. "Sorry mate."  
  
"Don't you think we should have died by now, Jack?" Cat twisted her skirts, trying to make them lighter to move in. The water was making them heavy. "On an island that is not supposed to exist and actually seeing a thirty foot piranha."  
  
Jack shrugged and leaned up against a rock, the rock slid over and Jack tried to act as if he didn't do anything. "Had ye not insulted the fish, we could'a been friends, though."  
  
"Piranha, Jack. Piranha." Cat said and looked down at the skeleton Jack had kicked earlier. Had it moved?  
  
"Well, so far the stories are true, lass. When ye were ever so kind ter punch me in the nose I wen' off the path and touched the grass. Rocks from the earth spirits. Then ye pushed me into the water an' a sharp-toothed flounder tried ter eat me."  
  
"Pushed you!?" Cat stood up and pointed a finger accusingly at him. "I tried to stop you... you... idiot!"  
  
"I 'ave feelin's ye know. I am not as stupid as ye think I am, had ye not 'ave thrown the rock at the fish we'd probably be 'avin' tea and crumpets with the big fish!" Jack yelled back.  
  
"Argh!" Cat and Jack jumped towards each other in fright as the heard the voice echoing off the sides of the rock.  
  
Jack reached for his cutlass, but realized that he didn't have any of his 'affects' and put his hand on Cat's hip where her sword should have been tied. She slapped his hand and Jack mouthed, 'Ow', while shaking his hand.  
  
"Argh?" Jack puffed out his chest and nodded at Cat like he had the situation under control. "Who really says tha' anymore, eh, mate?"  
  
The skeleton began to move. It pushed itself up into a sitting position and stretched out its arms. Jack and Cat scooted back, not wanting to be touched. The skeleton then rattled around and stood up. It looked right at Cat.  
  
"DeVries?" The skeleton began to move closer to her. As if on key, about ten more skeletons popped out of hiding, cutlasses and daggers held high. The skeleton held up his hand to halt them. "Kitty?"  
  
Jack looked at Cat. "Kitty?" He began to giggle.  
  
Cat ignored Jack. "Who are you?"  
  
"Kitty - it's me! Xin!" The skeleton said as if Cat should have known the entire time.  
  
"Master Xin?" Cat eyed the skeleton and looked it up and down. "You look great!" She lied.  
  
"So do you. And who's this... can it be? Jack Sparrow!" The skeleton gave Jack a welcome slap on the shoulder.  
  
"Captain, if you please. Captain Sparrow." Jack smiled, looking at the rings on his fingers.  
  
"Right. Captain."  
  
"Um, Kitty - " Cat slapped Jack. "Ow!"  
  
"Don't call me Kitty." Cat narrowed her eyes at Jack, but then turned back to smile at the skeletal Xin.  
  
Jack massaged his jaw, but continued. "Thought ye said the Xin-mate was Asian."  
  
"I am. DeVries here is a wonderful articulationist."  
  
Jack looked at the skeleton dumbfounded. "Is tha' really a word, Bone-lad?"  
  
Xin ignored Jack. "Taught me every English word and exactly how to pronounce it, and in return taught her everything I know. Right good match it was." Xin nodded, his bones rattling more. "Too bad I was dragged off to the Isle of Spirits and then eaten by one of those dreadful piranhas. Now for the rest of eternity I am bound by the Spirit contract to guard this passage."  
  
Cat sighed; "I take it that's why all of your friends hopped out when you began to move forward? And I suppose that you must not let any one person by?"  
  
Jack grabbed her arm and whispered into her ear, "You're not goin' ter leave me, are ye?"  
  
"No Jack." Cat whispered back as she pulled her arm away.  
  
"You know me better than that, Kitty." Xin said.  
  
"Could only hope." Cat smiled and shrugged. "But, whatever you must do to keep your honor."  
  
"Yes, but 'tis not fair in the battle for the victims to be without a weapon. So two of my men will not fight and give you their weapons. All in honor, DeVries." Xin smiled and motioned for two of the skeletons to give Jack and Cat their weapons. The two skeletons stiffened and fell to the ground lifeless again.  
  
"Alrigh'!" Jack exclaimed as he reached for the sword. "Let's let 'em 'ave it, eh, Kitty?"  
  
"Must I really put your body through more physical harm? We are about to fight one of the greatest fighters of all time and you are still calling me Kitty... " Cat reached for the other sword. She twirled it around her fingers feeling the weight of it.  
  
"Sorry, luv." Jack smiled, clearly happy that he was going to be able to actually fight something.  
  
"Let the match begin, then." Xin exclaimed as a sword and a dagger appeared in his bony hands.  
  
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A/N : See! Master Xin! Master Xin! Told you that we'd see him later on - and why I wouldn't change that thing about her learning a move from a samurai. Mwahahahahahahahaha! 


	13. Of Bites and Sightings

Disclaimer : After 12 Chapters of this story you'd think I'd own something... but guess what. NOPE! I own Cat and the Isle of Spirits, but I don't own Jack, Will, Elizabeth, the Pearl, the Revenge, Sparrow's crew, that blasted parrot (I miss him right now - can't wait to get the good ol' parrot back!!), ol' Blackey's cronies, or Blackbeard. Scraight up, yo. Pretty much what I am sayin' - just don't sue me. I'm broke and I ain't makin' no money off 'a this.  
  
Wow - one loooooong disclaimer - onto the story!!  
  
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Chapter 13 - Of Bites and Sightings  
  
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"Ye scurvy swabs!" Jack got into a stance and twirled the sword around.  
  
Catharine rolled her eyes and sighed.  
  
"Is he always like this?" Xin asked as he motioned for the other skeletons to surround the two humans.  
  
"Actually - this is him sober if you can believe it." Cat eyed a skeleton to her far left. He made a move and Cat stabbed him right through the middle. The skeleton looked down; the sword had gone between two bones of the ribcage. The skeleton looked back up and its eyes began to glow as if a fire had been lit in its eye sockets.  
  
Catharine reared back, pulling the sword out from the grasp of the skeleton.  
  
******  
  
"I resent tha' remar - Holy Mary o' the Seas." Jack's eyes opened wide as all the skeletons' eyes began to glow.  
  
"Kill them..." Xin growled as he leapt forward. The skeletons all jumped in for the attack.  
  
"I think they want ter dance, aye." Jack said calmly as he watched a skeleton throw a dagger aimed for his heart. He swished the sword across his upper body, knocking the dagger to the ground. The skeleton lunged, Jack rolled. And Jack became the victor with an extra weapon in his grasp.   
  
"Sorry, mate. Bones slowin' ye down?" He, in turn, threw the dagger back at the skeleton. The skeleton lifted its hands up to its forehead, to block the dagger. The small knife went through three layers of bone into the head of the skeleton. The dagger went through both hands and into the cranium. The skeleton tried to yank its hands down but the dagger kept them in place. It began to run at Jack, who was already dealing with three other pirates.   
  
******  
  
"DeVries... " A twirl and a block from the Master. "Wrong move, girl." He swung the weapon madly in her direction.  
  
Cat winced as Master Xin came across her head with the hilt of the saber. She dropped her sword and watched as a skeleton picked it up. Its blazing eyes gleaming in delight.  
  
"No fair!" Cat rolled from the attack of both Xin and the skeleton. She stood up and realized she had cornered herself. Cat made an abrupt 180-degree turn in the other direction and ran right into a pistol pointed between her eyes. A few more skeletons had joined in now that they had seen her without a weapon. A woman with no weapon and five bright-eyed skeletons equipped to the full. "Damn."  
  
"Kitty. On my honor as a samurai - " Xin began.  
  
"Former samurai." Cat corrected. She took a step back and sighed. There was no way out. The number of skeletons made it impossible for her to move.  
  
Xin's eyes glowed even brighter as Cat shielded her eyes for a second. "As I was saying... on my honor as a samurai... we will kill you with one bullet to the head. Quick and painless."  
  
******  
  
"Ye bloody idiot... do ye not see that that's me arm?!" Jack screamed at a skeleton that was biting his arm. He ripped away from the skeleton with its hands stuck to its head. Jack swung the sword and lopped off its head and along with its head came part of its arms below the elbows. He then turned on his heel and elbowed the closest skeleton to him and sliced him down the middle, cutting it in two. And the last few skeletons he grabbed by the skull and smashed them into each other. He looked around to see if any more were coming his way.  
  
******  
  
"Oh, would you?" Cat smiled and cocked her head to the side.  
  
"I think she's being facetious." One of the skeletons whispered.  
  
"Hey Sebastian woulj'a be ever so kind as ta use words we all migh' understan'?" The skeleton that was holding the pistol to Catharine's head looked back to the skeleton that had just talked.  
  
Cat saw her chance. She kicked the pistol out of the skeleton's hand, but not before it went off and began to bounce around the cavern.  
  
"Sarcastic." Cat said as she ducked from the bullet. "Facetious. Sarcastic."  
  
******  
  
Jack had hid behind a boulder as soon as he had saw that no other bone-bags were after him. He watched as the pistol went off and ducked just in time before it was he with the hole in the head. The bullet bounced off the wall behind him and as soon as Jack had sat back up, it hit him in the arm. A howl of pain escaped his mouth.  
  
******  
  
Xin had Cat by the neck up against a wall when the sound of a dying animal shook the cave.  
  
"Earth Spirits, master... they're comin'!" The skeletons all began to scatter, except for Xin.  
  
"Looks like it's just you and me, dear Kitty." If Xin had had lips, there would have curved into a smile. "I think some of the boys got the Captain."  
  
"Do you know what kind of luck that *Captain* has? Poseidon watches over Captain Sparrow - nothing can kill him." Cat struggled to breathe as the bony fingers scrapped against her throat, and yet she still got the words out.  
  
"Well, he may not die, but you will." The fingers dug deeper into her flesh, cutting off her air supply. Cat tried to scratch at the fingers, but there was nothing to grab onto to pull the fingers away from her throat. Black spots began to slowly appear and Xin's voice began to slur. And as soon as the black spots appeared, they disappeared.  
  
******  
  
"Get yer slimy hands off o' her." Jack used his good arm and came down onto Xin's upper arm with a sword. Xin looked at Jack in awe as Cat collapsed to the ground. "What's wrong? One bloody bullet isn't goin' ter scare ol' Jack away now is it." Jack motioned down at his bleeding arm. "But, ye need ter tell yer boys that bitin' isn't in the swordfightin' books."  
  
"And I suppose you have read them all, Jack?" Xin looked down at his deformed arms. "That is ... if you *can* read." The skeleton's eyes glowed and looked down at Jack's bleeding arm.  
  
"Thassit!! I can't take all these 'Jack can't read' insul's!" Jack stuck the end of the sword into the ground and leaned up against the hilt. "Guess I'm just goin' ter 'ave ter kill ye now, mate. My apologies ter such a wonderful sammy-rye." He lifted the sword and began to swing, chopping off a small bit of the Master slowly and surely. Xin could barely put up a fight without his hands.  
  
******  
  
Cat slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Jack nursing a wound on his arm. She sat up and let her eyes slowly focus to the bits and pieces of bones scattered throughout the cave.  
  
"What happened?" Cat mumbled, leaning against a small rock nearby.  
  
"Would ye believe it but one o' them skeleton's bit me arm and then tha' bloody bullet hit in the exact same place. 'urts like bloody 'ell it does." Jack said as he showed off his battle scar.  
  
Cat slowly turned her head and looked at Jack. "I didn't mean you. I meant what happened here? You beat Master Xin?"  
  
"Thanks for carin', luv." Jack sighed and stood up.  
  
"Any ol' time, Captain." Cat pushed herself up to a standing position as well.  
  
"Sliced 'im up a bit, I did." The Captain said as he acted it out for Cat. Giving each tiny bit of detail.  
  
"Have you found an exit, other than the one we used to enter?" Cat rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and yawned.  
  
"Nay. Thinkin' we might 'ave ter go and visit the big sharp-toothed flounders again. And this time let me do all the talkin', aye?" Jack gave her a toothy grin. The gold in his mouth shining and his dark eyes sparkling.  
  
"Right." Cat said with a laugh.  
  
******  
  
"Luv! Come'ere! Light!" Jack's voice bounced over the walls and rang in Cat's ears.  
  
"Coming!" Cat ran towards his voice and saw a ray of sun filtered into the cave. "A way out!"  
  
"Thassa what I jus' said." Jack raised a hand and pointed a gnarled finger at her. "Don't be takin' my credit fer findin' it. Now I'm goin' ter 'elp ye out... watch me arm, luv, the arm." Jack lifted Cat up out of the cave. "Now, if ye'll be so kind as ter 'elp me. The arm! Ow!"  
  
"Sorry..." Cat pulled him out. When they were both on soft ground again, they happily took in a breath of fresh air.  
  
"Jack look!" Cat pointed across a cliff. "We're on the other side of the cliff!"  
  
"And look down, luv. We're not welcome ter be on this side." Jack pointed down to his and her feet. The grass at their feet was a beautiful, lush green color that was slowly fading into a dull, gray dead color.  
  
"Earth Spirits again." Jack muttered. He pulled himself and Cat off of the grass. The grass slowly turned back into its lush green color. "If we can 'elp it, let's not walk on the grass. Don't want another rockslide, do we?"  
  
"No." Cat smiled, but her smile slowly faded when she looked behind Jack. A small green goblin, with pointy ears, was climbing in a tree. "Uh... "  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Cat just shrugged. The goblin looked at Cat and Jack and bared its small green teeth. "Doesn't look dangerous." The goblin pulled a branch from the tree and began to beat the tree with it, making a small smacking sound. After smacking it a few times, it pointed the branch at Jack and Cat and blew into one side. Shards of wood came flying towards them.  
  
Jack yanked Cat down, and she fell onto his arm. "Yeow! Watch the arm, luv, 'ow many times do I - "  
  
Cat pushed Jack over, rolling on his arm again. They just barely missed being hit by more splinters. "Stop it!" Jack yelled in agony.  
  
"Do you want to get killed by wood?" Cat didn't wait for his answer. "Now shut that hole in your face!!" She yanked him up and stepped back onto the grass. Jack watched as wherever they stepped the grass began to die again.  
  
"Luv, please... " Jack pleaded, not wanting to have to deal with anything except the pain in his arm.  
  
"Shh!" Cat continued to run.  
  
"What are we - "  
  
"YOU'LL SEE!! If my memory serves me right... and all the stories that my father told me are true... then... aha!" Cat stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"Mother of Mary, what is it now, eh?" Jack whimpered running into Cat, knocking them both down, and hurting his arm more.  
  
"The fire temple... " Cat whispered as she got up and brushed herself off. She then pulled Jack onto a red marble staircase and off of the dead grass. Jack's head slowly tilted back as he looked at the great structure in front of him.  
  
The temple went up as far as the eye could see. The structure was built from a dark red stone that he had never seen before that was similar to marble. Smooth and cool. He ran his hand along the railing from the stairs leading up to the double doors.  
  
"Why is the stone not hot?" Jack asked, as he began to walk up the stairs.  
  
"The heat is all inside... " Cat followed the Captain up the steep stairs to the door.  
  
"Can't wait." He turned back to face Cat. What he saw made him want to run in fear. What was supposed to be Catharine 'The Black Cat' DeVries, was now the laughing face of Captain Barbossa. Jack slowly backed away from the site.  
  
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A/N : 'Eyes like the sea before a storm' is from The Princess Bride, eh? I just read the first chapter and there it was... lmao... I don't even remember what I write half the time.  
  
I'm sorry that not all of my stuff is original (like I knew what I was doing about the left-handed sword fighting), when I get writer's block I read, listen to music, or watch a movie. And then when I start to write again, I find that I have some ideas and I just keep going ... I honestly don't remember that line being in the movie or book. So - if people don't like seeing things from different places - I am sorry - I swear that it is all subconscious (unless I intentionally put something in, and that is very rare).  
  
Well... darn it... can't blame me for trying not to make this a cliffhanger. I promise that I tried to not make it one. I know that you all are probably getting rather angry with me for all the wonderful cliffies I am leaving you with. So sorry!!  
  
But, hey, ye'll all get over it... right? Well - if not - it's off to the planks with ye!! ARGH! *cough* Sorry... 


	14. The Red and Silver Temples

Disclaimer : I don't own, nor do I claim to own anything that is not mine. Everything belongs to Disney.  
  
A few of you will be very happy with this chapter. :) Not just two characters.  
  
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Chapter 14 - The Red and Silver Temples  
  
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"Argh, this be the second ter las' obstacle, eh, Jack? Think'a how well we've done ter not 'ave died... yet." Barbossa's eyes lit up and he began to laugh. The laugh chilled Jack to the core. His eyes opened wide and like a flash he turned to run up the red marble staircase.  
  
*Cat 'as been Barbossa all along?* Jack's mind swam with all the thoughts that flooded it. He reached the double doors at the top of the stairs.  
  
"Jack!" Jack paid no attention to Barbossa's voice as he pushed the doors open. He made a mad dash into the temple, but then like a bolt of lightening the heat hit him. It slowed him down and he had only made it two steps into the temple.  
  
"Jack have you gone crazy!? Stop!" It was Cat's voice. Not Barbossa's. "What in God's name... oh... " The heat hit Cat too and she fell to the floor.  
  
"You... Barbossa." Jack fought to breathe. The hot air was constricting his lungs.  
  
"What?" Cat whispered as she moved back towards the door, the heat slowly dying. Jack followed her.  
  
"You turned into me first mate, luv. Barbossa. Ye know - the mutinous one." Jack took a deep breath of the cooler air closer to the door.  
  
"I did not." Catharine said defiantly. "I was talking to you and then you just-"  
  
"They've started ter play tricks on us... " Jack looked at the inside of the temple. On all the walls, as well as the ceiling and floor, it was as if fire was just on the other side. The room gave off a red glow, and the heat was out of this world.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Spirits. Playin' tricks with me mind. Just wait until I get a-holt o' one o' them Spirits. I'll cut 'em up-"   
  
Cat didn't hear the many different ways Jack would kill the Spirits, she was too busy watching the small green goblins run up the marble staircase.  
  
"Um, Jack?" Cat put her hand on the madly swinging arm of the Captain.  
  
"And then after all that I'll... yes, luv?" Jack looked over her shoulder and saw what she saw. "We run, then?"  
  
"First, help me shut the doors." Jack and Cat pushed the doors closed and as soon as the doors shut, the horrible heat hit them again. They slowly walked away from the door. The heat too thick and unmerciful to let them do much more.  
  
Sweat began to bead up on Cat's brow. If she had had anymore energy, she would have wiped it off. And just as quick as the heat had came, it left as soon as they were right in the center.  
  
"If thassall the fire temple's got-" Jack started, but was interrupted by the cracking of the floor underneath him. "Mm-hm. Think I angered it a bit, savvy?"  
  
The floor began to crack even more, and Jack and Cat slowly backed away thinking that the floor would slowly crack open and drop them down.  
  
They were almost right.  
  
Instead of the floor slowly cracking open, it madly jerked knocking Cat and Jack off of its top.  
  
Jack fell onto a ledge, but Cat did not have such luck. The heat began to grow as she saw the fire pit that she was about to fall into. But before her brain registered her death, a hand shot out from a lower ledge stopping her from falling into a grave of fire. She let out a whoosh of air and passed out from the fright.  
  
******  
  
"Oh, she will be perfectly fine." The voice of a woman floated into Catharine's ears.  
  
"Promise? It was different when she nearly got us killed by the fish; she's a woman-"  
  
"Hmph!" The woman's voice was irritated, but amused nonetheless.  
  
"But, 'ad I not made the mistake an' insulted the temple, she'd be alrigh'." The voice sounded familiar, but she was still lost in a deep sleep.  
  
"Did you not see the sign? It was on the other side of the room - 'do NOT walk in the center of the room for fear of painful death' - plain as the nose on your face." Another familiar voice tsked. A male voice.  
  
"Sorry, too busy feelin' like I was goin' ter die an early death from the heat ter be readin' signs in a fire temple, ye sappy whelp." Cat couldn't see, but she knew that the owner of the voice was getting flustered and not from the heat.  
  
"Sappy whelp, am I? At least I'm not a drunken wench-seeker!"  
  
"Been sober for the past week, mate, thank ye very much."  
  
"And I am sure that it was hell for you, wasn't it?"  
  
"Stop it!" The two male voices stopped instantly. A dead silence followed. "Look she's waking!"  
  
Cat blinked her eyes open. Jack, Will, and Elizabeth were all staring at her. She closed her eyes and reopened them. Still with the staring.  
  
Cat sat up and slid in the other direction from the three. They inched forward, not believing that she was awake. Cat leaned back. They leaned forward. Cat sat up straight. They straightened their backs as well.  
  
"Are you all-" Cat slurred.  
  
"Dead?"  
  
"Drunk?"  
  
"All right?"  
  
Will, Jack, and Elizabeth said at the same time, respectively.  
  
Cat just stared at the three. Maybe it was the heat making them go mad. It had happened before. Captain Jack Sparrow was living proof of that.  
  
"How'd you two get here?" Cat eyed Elizabeth and Will.  
  
"Well, after the Pearl picked us up we followed the Revenge-" Elizabeth started.  
  
"Then when we saw the lightening hit the water, we realized we were too close. So we slowed down and instead of following Blackbeard we just went a different way." Will continued.  
  
"That particular way led us to a different part of the Isle. Myself and Will 'abandoned ship' and went to look for you two. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time." Elizabeth finished.  
  
"Ain't it grand, luv?" Jack said with a laugh, slapping Will on the back.  
  
"Of course... and stop calling me that." Cat closed her eyes and relaxed back on the cool ground. She sat back up and looked around. They weren't in the fire temple anymore. "Where are we?"  
  
"After Will caught your arm, we took you out of the temple. I watched over you while he went back in to find Jack." Elizabeth said with a smile.  
  
"So you don't know where we are?" Cat yawned and stretched back out onto the ground.  
  
"Well, looks like there is another temple - the last obstacle before the treasure." Will motioned behind him to the temple behind him that resembled the fire temple exactly with one small difference. It was silver instead of red.  
  
******  
  
"Even 'as the double doors like the fire temple... " Jack turned around to look at Will, Elizabeth, and Catharine. A check to make sure that they weren't going to turn into Barbossa this time as well. He turned back around and began to fidget with the doors. "Locked..."  
  
"He's rather nice sober." Elizabeth whispered to Will.  
  
"Not so - " Will put his hands in front of his face and began to swagger. A perfect imitation.  
  
Cat and Elizabeth began to laugh. Jack turned back around to see what was so funny, but he just figured that they were being stupid, so he turned back to the doors and began to pull. He then pushed. He kicked and he punched, too.  
  
"If ye three would be so kind as ter help me with the stubborn locked doors to the temple, I'd be ever so grateful." Jack's voice was soft, holding back anger. He leaned up against the doors and they opened instantly, making him fall flat on his face.  
  
"Jack!"  
  
"Ha! Ha! Ha!"  
  
"Are you alive?"  
  
Elizabeth, Will, and Cat all said together, respectively.  
  
Jack hopped back up and brushed himself off, his ego softened. "If I 'ad me affects... " He shook his fist at the door; a threat of death from the Captain.  
  
Will, Elizabeth, and Cat all reached the top of the stairs and they continued into the temple. The doors slammed behind them and a soft click was heard. The lanterns on the side of the hall that they were now in lit themselves. The four all exchanged a look and took a step forward. The lights flickered and the walls became see-through.  
  
"This must be the Temple of Air." Cat said as she watched a huge animal, with teeth the size of a human leg, look at them through the wall.  
  
"If this is the Temple of Air, then how come that ... monster ... can't go through the wall?" Elizabeth clung to Will's arm.  
  
The monster growled, it's silver fur glimmering from the light of the lanterns. It stepped into the hall with the four smaller beings. The monster eyed them hungrily with its beady black eyes.  
  
"I think you spoke too soon, Dear." Will said calmly, considering that the animal was closest to him.  
  
"Time to run?" Jack asked, even though he knew the answer. The four of them broke into a run, not looking behind them. They could hear the pounding footsteps of the animal closing in on them. They reached a fork in the hallway.  
  
"Split up!" Cat screamed as she jerked the closest person to her. Jack didn't care which way he was pulled as long as he could keep running.  
  
Will and Elizabeth went left, Jack and Cat went right. The monster stopped at the fork and sniffed both ways. It went left.  
  
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A/N : Now that wasn't so bad of a cliffhanger now was it? See - I just can't write a non-cliff'd chapter.  
  
And what did you think of that bit of Barbossa? Hehe...   
  
Now - read and review or else I'll sick that silver-coated, beady-eyed, long-toothed monster on you! Mwahahahahahahaha! 


	15. Passages

Disclaimer : Nothing. Nope. NOTHING! I only own Cat and the Isle of Spirits. Thank you very much. And don't sue me because I'm broke.  
  
Story time...  
  
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Chapter 15 - Passages  
  
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"Will it's gaining!" Elizabeth took a quick glance to the monster behind them. Its silver coat was gleaming from the light of the lanterns. The walls were slowly turning back into the silver marble instead of see-through. They were going to be trapped.  
  
******  
  
Jack and Cat had stopped running and were now walking briskly.  
  
"Ow!" Jack ran into a solid wall. He brought his hand up to his throbbing forehead. "Spirits already changin' back ter normal. Ye don' think Will an' Elizabeth are in trouble, do ye?" He shook his head, the beads in his hair whapping him in the eye. "Ow..."  
  
"Baby..." Cat muttered under her breath.  
  
"I 'eard that." Jack sighed and hurried past her, wanting to be in the lead. They rounded a corner. The silver-marbled walls had turned into silver bushes. "Looks like the beginnin' of a maze."  
  
"The Silver Labyrinth." Cat drifted off into a daydream...  
  
~~~  
  
"Be careful o' which way ye turn. Ye won't always be able ter turn back. A snake's bite'll burn. And watch ou' fer the guard's whip attack."  
  
~~~   
  
"Are ye awake, luv?" Jack was waving a hand in front of her eyes. "'Ello!?!" He began to jump up and down screaming at the top of his lungs... "CAT! WAKE UP! 'ELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!?!?!"  
  
Cat snapped back to reality, and saw the Captain screaming and jumping all over the place. She slapped him.  
  
"Guess I deserved that." He said, now officially bruised all over.  
  
"Sorry - you do not want anymore spirits turning me into Barbossa now do you?" Jack shook his head from side to side. He gave a crooked smile and grabbed Cat's hand.  
  
"No time ter lose. Gotta find that treasure!" Jack began to haul her into the labyrinth.  
  
*Pfft*  
  
"Er, Jack?" Cat heard a noise to her left, and saw only bush. Something was behind there. "Let's go right, here."  
  
"Left because it's me favorite, luv." He jerked them left.  
  
*Pfft*  
  
Jack heard it that time. They looked around, but saw nothing. Jack began to back up slowly, pushing Cat back as well.  
  
"Perhaps the other way would be better." He whispered to her.   
  
They turned around and came face to face with an armed guard. His whip was hitting the silver shrub beside him. The shrub melted with each hit. The armor looked as if it were made out of silver; and the face of the guard was not covered by a helmet. Instead it was as if no light shown there, a deep dark tunnel, lifeless and full of despair.  
  
The guard tilted its dark head from the completely melted bush to Jack and Cat. It held its whip over its head and came down with a crack.  
  
******   
  
"Dead-end." Will put Elizabeth behind him as the beast realized that he had his food trapped. He could hear Elizabeth whimpering behind him, and Will was whimpering on the inside. The beast was baring its teeth and digging its claws into the silver-marble floor.  
  
The huge animal took a breath and then made a leap for the two. Will pushed Elizabeth to one side and himself to another. He looked up to make sure Elizabeth was all right, and saw a piece of the marble sticking out right beside Elizabeth. The beast took another step in the opposite direction of Will...  
  
"Elizabeth... " His breathing was beginning to shake, making his voice sound raspy. If that thing even shedded on her, he would kill it, or at least die trying to.  
  
Will made up his mind and rolled underneath the monster and grabbed the piece of marble sticking out. He tried to yank it free. Any weapon was better than none. Why on earth did he lose his sword to that green-monkey thing? That monkey was a better swordsman than he was. How the monkey had practiced was beyond him... wooden sticks are no substitute for swords.  
  
The marble would not budge, and it looked as if Elizabeth was about to be monster lunch. Will made a mad dash onto the back of the monster and began to pull at its ears and at the top of its eyes. The beast reared back and tried to swing Will off of it.  
  
Elizabeth looked at what Will had been trying to do. While the monster was busy with Will she scrambled over to the marble and tried to pull it out as well. Before she knew what happened the beast had knocked into her and she was pushed up against the marble, pushing the piece back into its place.  
  
The marble walls where the piece had stuck out began to collapse, revealing a doorway.  
  
"Will!" Elizabeth screamed over the commotion. "Look!"  
  
"Busy..." Will managed to spit out.  
  
"Stop playing around!" Elizabeth began to move towards the door.  
  
Will poked the creature in the eye with his finger and pulled the hair around its eyes, which he guessed was its eyelashes. It howled and flung Will off. He landed close to the door, and Elizabeth pulled him through. They slammed the door behind them and looked at each other. Then, without any questions at all... they started to run.  
  
"Do you - ack!" Will ran headfirst into something around his size that was running in the opposite direction. The thing collapsed on top of him. "Geroff!"  
  
______  
  
A/N :   
  
Well, I had all my nice little thanks to all my readers... but um... the computer freaked out on me. So, I'll just thank each and EVERY SINGLE REVIEWER at the end of the story. :) Because I'm cool like that. Mwahahahaha.  
  
Sorry for the delay on this guys. Sick, school, sleep... but, like I have said before I will ALWAYS be updatin' this sucker. Promise!  
  
NOW R&R!! Or else!! Also I have another PoTC story if you want to read it. It's a cross of Shakespeare and PoTC. I think its funny. :) But it is my story... I might be a tad on the 'bias' side. :) 


	16. Amare Sotto il Tramonto

Disclaimer : I don't own a thing. So, Disney, if you're reading this. Don't sue, please. I'm a broke teenager - and I don't work - so I'm REALLY broke.  
  
I'm writing this chapter with no Internet access. This is what happens when you have a dial-up modem and no cable modem. Wahoo, eh? Darn me for livin' out in the middle of no wheres. I want city, dang it!  
  
So, anyway, I can't see how I'm doing or if any of the readers read the last chapter. Fwahaha (does it work for me? i saw it somewhere...) *cough* anyway.  
  
STORY TIME!!   
  
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Chapter 16 - Amare Sotto ... il Tramonto  
  
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"Will, s'all right." The voice of the captain rang in Will's ears. "It's me."  
  
"Oh." There was silence as nobody moved. "If you would be so kind as to please move, still?"   
  
Jack looked down and stood up hurriedly. He brushed himself off and sighed. "Sorry ter run into you. Gettin' chased by some maniacal guard with a whip."  
  
"Really?" Will used a wall for support and leaned on it.  
  
"That silver monster is still chasing us!" Elizabeth's voice was high-pitched and it made Cat wince.  
  
"We seem to be doing just fine now. I see no sign of either - " Cat was interrupted by a noise.  
  
*Pfft*  
  
Cat and Jack looked at each other in fear. They began to inch away from the way they came.  
  
"What was that?" Will said, his voice now seeming as if it was echoing in the great temple.  
  
"Shh! Ye blasted eunuch!" Jack put his hand over Will's mouth and began to pull him away from the sound.  
  
*Pfft*  
  
*Balump*  
  
Elizabeth's eyes opened wide. She inhaled deeply and looked behind her. The silver beast was at the end of the hall, and Elizabeth was running before anybody else.  
  
The silver monster was faster than they were and before they knew it they were trapped. They had reached another dead end and the sound of the guard's whip could be heard behind the mass of silver.  
  
*Pfft*  
  
"It was nice knowin' all o' you." Jack shook his head and gave Elizabeth, who happened to be the closest, a huge hug.  
  
"Ugh! Get off! Have you been drinking, Captain Sparrow?" Elizabeth shoved him off, trying not to think about how close death actually was.  
  
"I know how ye stand on that subject, luv. Why would I go an' do such a thing? Besides - ain't no where's ter be gettin' any rum on this bloody island." Jack went to hug Will, and Will pushed him too.  
  
"Jack! This is no time to panic!" That was when Will saw the guard for the first time. He gulped and his life flashed before his eyes.  
  
Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth... Jack?... Elizabeth.  
  
"Who took that last turn?" Catharine ducked underneath Jack's opened "hug" arms.  
  
"Me." Elizabeth said as she watched the whip melt the wall beside the guard.  
  
"Idiot! Could you not see that there was a dead end this way!?"  
  
"Now, now, luv. She's just a woman." Jack piped in, still trying to give Cat a hug.  
  
"What!?" Elizabeth put her hands on her hip. "I am a better woman than you are!"  
  
Cat rubbed her temples. "Well, I should hope you're a better woman than Jack is."  
  
"Ye mangy, ugly-lookin' things! I am Captain Jack Sp... Spa... Spur... Sparkle... no..." Jack had gone right up to the monster and the guard and had started a conversation.  
  
"Sparrow! Come back!" Will said.  
  
"Yes! Sparrow! Wait, are ye sure that's right?" Jack's eyes brightened up.  
  
"Yes!" Will said.  
  
Jack looked at the three of his companions and then whirled to look at the guard and the monster. He gave a half grin to the guard and then a cheeky smile to the beast, then continued on with his conversation with Will.  
  
"Right! Sparrow!" Jack nodded.  
  
"Captain." Cat corrected.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"No - Captain Sparrow. Your name." Elizabeth patted Jack on the shoulder.  
  
"Oh, yes. Captain. Title there." Jack smiled at Elizabeth.  
  
"Right." Will said.  
  
"I know." Jack went to give Will another hug.  
  
"What?" Cat asked, watching the scene in interest, but still keeping her eye on the monster and guard.  
  
"That me name is Captain Jack -"  
  
"Sparrow." Cat interrupted.  
  
"Yes, quit interrupting." Jack sighed, but turned back to the monsters.  
  
"Sorry." She apologized.  
  
"Quite all right. Now, ye two mangy, ugly, an'... an'... hey, whoa!"  
  
A huge gust of wind rushed through the hall, knocking down the guard and the silver beast. It swirled around them and picked up Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and Cat. It carried them back down the way they came and then the wind split as two separate tunnels came into view.  
  
Elizabeth and Cat look at each other as they fly around curves and pass over more beasts. They reach for each other so that they won't get separated as well.  
  
"Hold on!" Cat yelled.  
  
"I am!" Elizabeth's hands were cold and clammy. Cat nearly let go from the sudden touch of freezing cold hands. They were almost jerked apart when without any warning the wind stopped. The two girls began to fall down a tunnel.  
  
They both landed at the same time and just sat there, waiting for the dizziness to stop swirling the room that they were in.  
  
"I don't feel well." Elizabeth moaned as she collapsed onto her back.   
  
Cat closed her eyes so that she wouldn't resort to unconsciousness. When she opened her eyes she looked around and noticed she was in a circular room. Looking down, her eyes had to adjust to the brightness. The mound that she was sitting on was one of the smaller mounds of treasure.  
  
"Elizabeth... I think we found the treasure of the Isle." Cat whispered as she ran her hands through the coins and jewels. She picked up a gold-encrusted tiara close to her and saw an inscription on the back of the diamond centerpiece.  
  
'Amare Sotto'  
  
"Italian?" Cat said as she put on the tiara. "Amare Sotto." She leaned back onto the mound of treasure.  
  
*Beautiful language. Wish I knew what it meant.* Cat thought. She heard Elizabeth waking up, her gasp of delight and small clinks of metal.  
  
"Il Tramonto." The voice of Elizabeth bounced off the walls, and the room began to spin.  
  
Cat's eyes grew bigger as the walls began to spin faster and faster.  
  
______  
  
A/N : Amare Sotto il Tramonto. Isn't that purdy? Don't know what it means, but it's Italian. :) I'll give you a cookie if you know what it means. And don't just say something stupid like, "Jack is sexy." Because I know that's not what it says. LoL. You guys are crazy.  
  
Anyway. R&R!!  
  
Well, things are about to get good. Like we are going to know whose treasure this is, where Will and Jack went, if Blackbeard really left the Isle. All kinds of fun stuff. And believe me, many more chapters on the way. Just b/c the Isle of Spirit stuff is almost over doesn't mean the story is almost over too. A lot more to come. 


	17. Or the Bloodlust

Disclaimer : Um - let me think. I stole Johnny Depp. He is now mine. Forever and always.  
  
UM - HELLO! Duh, same as friggin' always. I'm broke; don't sue. I own nothing except my ideas and don't steal those ideas b/c I work my mind off thinking them up. Thanks!  
  
Some thanks --   
  
pixiesox - Well, I meant to have her do the left-handed thing, but everything else is purely unintentional. Wow - I never really saw all the resemblances. Thanks for the review... :) Enjoy the rest of the story. It's about to get... real good.  
  
Mrs. Sparrow - I always like reading your reviews. They always make me smile. Mwahahahaha! And make me cackle. Keep 'em coming. :)  
  
Simoriah Girl of Summer - Jack's on his way. Promise! Concert!?!?! Take me! *cough* Anyway... um... remember if you get detention you may blame it all on me. I'll take full credit for your actions while reading any of my stories. *nod*  
  
FrannieGurl2006 - Why thank ye, thank ye! I try my hardest. I really do. I'm not really good with the descriptive stuff. But, hey, as long as you say you can follow it - guess I'm doin' mighty fine, aye? Fwahaha (does it work?)  
  
Kanaloas Wrath - Thanks a million, mate! If you like what you've seen so far... hang on. You're in for some huge surprises, twists, turns, and more adventure to come. Because this sucker ain't over yet. *maniacal laugh ensues* *cough* :)  
  
jackfan2 - Am I that good a writer? *blushes* Aw, gee, shucks. Huh-yuck (Goofy laugh people, come on!). Nuh-uh! Tag you're it! Buah Ha Ha!  
  
KoorimeHiei - I think I already said something about pirate talk, but I'll do it again. Read any book about pirates, watch any movie with pirates, and just say 'argh' a lot. It works. Swear... er... promise! Thanks fer ye review, mate. :)  
  
Seth 7 - Thank you ever so much. :) Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!  
  
Lauren - Heh. Thanks! :) Hehe.   
  
When I wrote these, it was the first page of reviews, next chapter I'll have more thank yous. :) If you want to be thanked, all ye gots to do is review!!  
  
Now that you all have read my useless babble. You may now go forth into storyland... once upon a friggin' time... lmao...  
  
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_  
  
Chapter 17 - Or the Bloodlust.  
  
_  
  
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"Elizabeth what did you do!?" Catharine began to feel a sense of vertigo as the room began to spin faster still.  
  
There was no sound from Elizabeth. Another voice however broke the silence and the spinning of the room.  
  
"Ye two girls sure are in a tight spot, aye?" The voice gave a small chortle and continued on. "Nobody 'as found the way ter me treasure. Ye two be the firss."  
  
A swirling cloud began to form above the treasure. Cat looked around desperately for Elizabeth; they found each other's eyes at the same time. They ran away from the cloud, away from the treasure.  
  
"It be no use ter be runnin' dears." That voice. It was so familiar.  
  
The cloud began to shift and it dissolved into a figure. The floating figure of Blackbeard himself. He gave a hearty smile and laughed softly.  
  
"I'm so 'appy tha' ye two found yer way!" He clapped his hands together and smiled with enthusiasm.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
"How long do you think we've been flying, Jack?" Will was in a very comfortable-looking position. His hands were behind his head, and if it weren't for the wind carrying him, it would look like he was lying down.  
  
"Eh, a few minutes. Ye'd think that the win' spirits were... more... how do ye put it when they be aroun' ye an' ye don't want them ter kill ye... " Jack continued with his nonsense babbling.  
  
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!" Will's sudden scream of terror lurched Jack out of his own mindless babble.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
"So this is your treasure? When did you die?" Elizabeth was talking so fast that not even Cat could quite understand what she was saying. "Are you sure that you're the real Blackbeard; because the one we know isn't very nice. And yet, you're very - "  
  
"Elizabeth! Shut up!" Cat pushed Elizabeth aside, whispering into her ear. "You don't want him to kill us do you?"  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"  
  
"What the -- " Blackbeard looked up at the sound.  
  
Two falling figures could be seen slowly making their way into the treasure room. Cat and Elizabeth knew who it was right away, and they both hid their eyes before Jack and Will would hit the ground with a sickening ... but there was no thud.  
  
Elizabeth peered out over her hands. They were being suspended by a pair of wispy hands. The hands were swirling around them and Jack was threatening each one with its wispy life.  
  
"Ah, glad ye two could join us." Blackbeard's voice was no longer cheery. It was the same voice as the old Blackbeard they had known; cruel and uncaring. Cat slowly opened her eyes; everything coming to play... everything was a set up.  
  
The evil eyes glared down at her, large yellow eyes that were full of hate.  
  
"Ye've all earned a huge surprise, ye 'ave." The hoarse cackle came up from the throat, and when it burst from the lips the figure of Blackbeard slowly turned into a man so evil that Hell itself spit him back out. The notorious Captain Barbossa.  
  
With a snap of his fingers, Elizabeth flew into the cloud of wispy hands with Jack and Will. None of them could believe what they were seeing. Jack had shot him. There was no doubt about it. He had died, but now he was right in front of them. A spirit no less, but still there.  
  
Will, Elizabeth, and Jack kept staring at Barbossa, hoping that they would wake up from their dream. For once, all of them were unable to talk out of pure shock. Cat on the other hand was ready for a chat.  
  
"Captain Barbossa." She spat out the name, not wanting to say it at all. Not even when she was the Black Cat did she like saying his name. It was the epitome of all evil.  
  
"Yes?" He averted his gaze to her. "Oh, yes. You."  
  
"Oh, you are so smart." Cat rolled her eyes.  
  
"'Course I am. Ne'er known a pirate ter come back from the Underworld, did ye?" His mouth twisted into a crooked half smile. "And it was all because o' Jack."  
  
"Me?" Jack's mouth fell open and he looked at Will and Elizabeth, trying to plead his case. "You lying piece o' -- "  
  
"Eh, now don't flatter yeself... the monkey, o' course." Barbossa snapped his fingers again, and Jack the Monkey was at his feet. Jack then made his way to Barbossa's shoulder.  
  
"If it 'adn't'a been for him I'd still be dead. Well, at least not even able ter walk upon the earth, that is. When dear Elizabeth was on me ship tha' dreadful night, she didn't kill Jack when he fell off'a the ship. 'e came back ter the gold, always a proper pirate if ye can't steer'em away from the gold," He laughed and gave the monkey a pat on the head. "He took another one o' them Aztec gold pieces, and somehow, because I wasn't all o' the way dead... I was given a life. A spirit life, but a life. My spirit was awakened here on the Isle of Spirits, and I could only inhabit a human on this Isle. The real Blackbeard stashed all o' his treasure here on this island. Well, I watched Blackbeard e'ery time he came so tha' when I did inhabit 'im I would know how ter act. After I was strong enough, and while Blackbeard was here on the Isle, I performed the simple ritual and I became Blackbeard. A' firss, o' course, I was much like the Captain, but as time went by, I started to become myself. Ye know, ye hear about a pirate and think he's one of the Scallywags o' the Sea, but then ye become the guy, and ye realize he was almost as lady-like as Elizabeth Swann."  
  
*So that's why I began to see the difference in Blackbeard's eyes, I was seeing Barbossa.* Cat thought to herself after Barbossa revealed himself.  
  
"Well, you aren't very bright, Captain." Catharine beamed with sarcasm.  
  
"Ye aren't either, but I'm not speakin' my mind, lass." Barbossa spat back.  
  
"I knew about your plan since your stupid little monkey made an appearance to me after I had been whipped with the Cat-O-Nine-Tails." Catharine pointed at Jack and then put her hands back on her hips. "He even waved the piece of Aztec gold in my face. How stupid of him, and you, to think that I didn't know the story of Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa."  
  
Captain Sparrow perked up as his name was being mentioned.  
  
"Since then I have known that you were around here somewhere, little did I know that you were in someone else's body. So, where is Blackbeard?" Cat finished.  
  
"Le' me tell ye tha' Blackbeard 'as been dead for quite some time now, me dear. Couldn't let him live, 'e might 'ave fought ter keep his own spirit." Barbossa then leaned in close to Cat, making sure that only she could hear. "Ye know what? I 'ad wanted ter get the most horrible pirate, you o' course, and I wanted you ter bring Sparrow an' his friends along for the ride ter the Isle. We would 'ave 'ad a killin' party, both me an' you. But now I don't believe that ye are the dreaded pirate that ye once was." Blackbeard paused and pulled away from her. "But ye still can be, we can still kill'em."  
  
Cat thought about it. Or at least let Barbossa think that she was thinking about it. She knew exactly what she wanted to do, and if there was any killing it was to kill Barbossa and that stupid monkey.  
  
"I want to be the Black Cat again." Cat whispered.  
  
"Eh?" Barbossa leaned his head forward.  
  
"I am the Black Cat, let us kill." Cat gave a side-glance to the three in the swirling hands; they all stared at her in awe.  
  
"No! Catharine!" Elizabeth finally found her voice. "Cat, no. Barbossa is evil, whatever he promised you, he will give you only death!"  
  
"Oh, shut up." Barbossa waved his hand and the wind spirits began to twirl them around, keeping the three in their midst dizzy and unable to concentrate.  
  
"Amen." Cat said. "She never shuts that mouth of hers."  
  
"So how would ye do it?" Barbossa asked as he stopped the wind spirits from twirling Will, Elizabeth, and Jack. He wanted them to hear this conversation.  
  
"Beg your pardon?" Cat watched, hoping that they knew that she was doing this to save them. To keep them from being killed. Like her mother had told her, 'Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.'  
  
"How would ye kill them?" Barbossa watched the horrified faces.  
  
"Eh..." Cat tilted her head to one side and looked at the three. "Skin a pound of flesh off each of them. Maybe more, depending on my mood that day. Then I'd put them on a large hook, the kind that you go fishing for swordfish for, while they are still bleeding from the skinned-off flesh. I'd toss the skin overboard, wait for the sharks to come, and then, feed them to the sharks. They'd be half-dead and half-alive before they even went in. Simple, but painful and fun to watch." She smiled as if savoring the moment, when in reality she felt her stomach turn.  
  
"Good. Very good." Barbossa scratched his chin thoughtfully.  
  
"That's good." Jack Sparrow explained to Will. Will looked at him like he'd lost his marbles, and Will figured that he already had, so he had to look for another excuse. "No seriously, she's got imagination."  
  
"But Jack, she's turning on us." If Will's hands were free he'd have smacked Jack right across the head.  
  
"Yes, but ye have ter love the imagination."  
  
"Or the bloodlust - whichever you prefer Captain." Elizabeth said.  
  
Barbossa was so intent on their conversation that Cat found an opportunity and took it. She reached for his sword, and yanked it away from him. She didn't know how she had done it, but it was there in her hand.  
  
"I'm NOT the Black Cat anymore, Barbossa. So, you can just forget our little chat about killing my friends." She pointed the blade at Barbossa's neck.  
  
Barbossa was surprised, but he kept his calm. "I love the idea o' yours, and that will be the fate o' yer friends." He pushed away the blade but Cat slashed at his wrist, the blade going straight through his arm. She looked up into his eyes, a yellow fire burned brightly within their sockets.  
  
"Oh, wait - if I said that like I wanted ter die that way - I really didn't mean it. Barbossa, she's mad. She has gone mad from all the spinning! I really am on yer side ye know." Jack was almost in hysterics.  
  
Will and Elizabeth look at him in shock.  
  
Jack tries to hide his embarrassment, "What? Worth a try... "  
  
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A/N : Since Chapter 16 was so short I decided to give you guys a long one. :) And did I not tell you that it would get good? It gets better. Next chapter... lots of cool stuff too. If I tell even a tiny thing it will ruin it.  
  
I think the end is nearer than I wanted it to be. Probably only a few more chapters. Like 22-25 chapters in all (like all together not... 25 more... sheesh!)  
  
And, yes I changed me name, mates. Hope ye weren't confused much. I decided to go for something that was on all boundaries. Feel free to take Lady Sparrow if ye want it. :)  
  
elfe de chocolat is french for 'chocolate elf' I LOVE IT! I LOVE FRENCHNESS! So how do you guys like it? 


	18. A New Body

Disclaimer : Nope - don't own squat-diddly. Don't sue.  
  
Anyway - sorry about the elongated period between my last update and this one. If you haven't read Chapter 17 - I suggest going back and reading it - because it ain't no Author's Note no more. It's a Chapter! A very good one - and if you don't read it you'll get all lost and confused if you go right to this'un. :)  
  
Anyway - I have one more thank you :   
  
Kurama Kitsune - Thanks for all the reviews!! So Xin is more of a Chinese name? Well dagnabbit... I don't know that much about Asian cultures... it sounded Asian... probably should'a done more research, dang it. But anyway... I'm so glad you enjoyed my story. :)  
  
And a thank you to all the people who reviewed the Author's Note and told me that they wanted more. :) And then my emailer who emailed me and wanted more - and I lied and said I'd have two chapters up over the weekend, sorry 'bout that... but hey, it's up!! Ain'tcha proud o' me?! Like five million years later, but it's up!  
  
Anyway - let me tell you all a story. I couldn't get onto FF.net, because of the 'https' stuff. So ... yeah ...   
  
But now I updated my internet and I'm set and ready to rumble.  
  
ENJOY! You scabless dogs!  
  
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Chapter 18 : A New Body  
  
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_  
  
Barbossa curled his lips into a cruel smile. The room began to spin slowly and the force of the spin seemed to make Barbossa and Jack the Monkey into the spirits they truly were.  
  
With a whoosh Barbossa's spirit flew towards Catharine. It stopped right in front of her and looked back up to Jack, Will, and Elizabeth. They were still in the air with cloud-like hands swirling around them.  
  
"Want ye ter watch very carefully, now." He spat as he turned slowly back to Cat, his eyes widening into a glowing fire that made Cat shiver in fear.  
  
"Me new body." Barbossa whispered. Then, as if he had never been there he vanished and Cat's mouth opened wide in pain.  
  
"Ah!" Catharine tumbled over, clutching her throat. Her eyes began to change from their beautiful green color to the evil-centric yellow eyes of Barbossa. "No..." Her last words tripped over her tongue and she fell face first onto the floor.  
  
"Catharine!" Elizabeth's eyes were wide with fear. "Is she... "  
  
Will knew that Elizabeth wouldn't be able to finish the sentence. "Let us hope not."  
  
"It's all yer fault, ye mangy, flea-bitten - " Jack started up in rage, and then realized he couldn't do anything since he was still under the power of Barbossa.  
  
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other. They had no idea who he was talking to. Then, they saw Jack the Monkey poking at Cat's fiery red head.  
  
"Bleedin' monkey." Jack sneered. "If I ever get me 'ands on yer scrawny neck!"  
  
"Oh, don't be so quick to place the blame, Jack." Cat's voice rang out from the floor. "After all, he was named after you." The fallen body rolled over and Jack saw her eyes.  
  
They were the eyes of Barbossa.  
  
Elizabeth gasped. "Cat?"  
  
"In the flesh." The body of Catharine DeVries pushed itself up. "But not in spirit or mind. She's probably off somewhere in dreamland. Off wheeping because she couldn't save her dear friends. The thoughtful version of Miss DeVries was her downfall. If she would have come to my side - she would be in control of her own self, but alas, she is not."  
  
"I don't understand." Will whispered.  
  
"Of course you don't." The voice rang out. "You never were exceptionally bright, lad. I'm Barbossa. Not Catharine. She's nothing but a whisper in the wind now. I am in control."  
  
The body snapped its fingers.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Jack's eyes slowly opened. The last thing he remembered was the snap of fingers.   
  
"Magic." He whispered to himself.  
  
"Captain." Catharine's melodious voice rang in his ears. "You're awake."  
  
"Dreamin' with me eyes open." Jack retorted and tried to sit up. But, he realized all too quickly that he was bound.  
  
"I don't remember you ever sleeping like that. I would watch you both day and night - remember, I had to find the opportune moment for a mutiny." Though it was Catharine's voice, Jack knew it was Barbossa talking. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that.  
  
Jack decided that he would change the subject. "Where's Will and Eliza - "  
  
"Below deck, with the rest of the Revenge crew." Catharine finally came into Jack's line of view. She wanted to make eye contact, but Jack continued to stare at the ground. "Finally found a ship faster than the Pearl - they shouldn't have followed."  
  
There was a silence and Jack saw Jack the Monkey run up to Cat. It bounced around and gave her a piece of Aztec gold.  
  
"Loyal and true." Cat's hand patted the monkey and the monkey squinched its nose at Jack.  
  
"I'll leave you to your haunted thoughts, Sparrow." Then the small voice of Catharine changed into the heartless voice of Barbossa. A laugh that would rival with the devil's. "Be thinkin' of how yer ter die..." More laughter from the husky and evil voice.  
  
"Sleep well!" Catharine's voice again, and then a slam of the door. Jack looked around. He was in his old cabin that he had had when he was Captain of the Black Pearl.  
  
Jack sighed. He was going to die.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
"Make sure that he sees her die first!" Catharine called out to - now her - henchmen. She pointed at Will and Elizabeth. "Ladies first."  
  
"You're too kind." Elizabeth growled.  
  
"Beg pardon?" Cat turned towards the couple and pulled a cutlass from one of the crew members. She held it up to Elizabeth's throat. "Anymore outbursts and I'll just behead you."  
  
Will's nostrils flared, but he held his tongue.  
  
"But - I won't do that. Since I would like the whelp here to see his love die exactly the way his father did." The last part of the sentence had Barbossa's evil twinge.  
  
"Of course, after I've had my pound of flesh." Cat's voice was back. "Wouldn't want the "Black Cat" to have her reputation be disparaged, because all she did was drown people."  
  
With a turn and a stride, Cat headed towards her own cabin. "I want to hear their screams."  
  
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other. Will saw a small tear trickle down Elizabeth's cheek. There was nothing Will could do to save Elizabeth.  
  
__________  
  
A/N: From now on - if I say Catharine(Cat)/Barbossa - you will know who I'm talking about. It's getting confusing to me if I put 'the body' so, yeah. I'll use the two interchangeably. If that's even a word. :)  
  
Anywho - sorry this is a short chapter. FF.net is being evil. I think I'm going to have my own site coming up soon. Where I'll have like a little PoTC shrine, with lots of PoTC stories. Yeehaw Brad! Sorry - For Richer or Poorer reference. I'm a nerd sometimes.  
  
******  
  
Next Chapter: Russian Roulette 


	19. Russian Roulette

Disclaimer : I own nothing. Only the story.  
  
A/N: Before you read this chapter. Take a look at its title. 'Russian Roulette'... now... I'm sure some of you people are history buffs. Well, I am too, but I don't know when Russian Roulette came out - and frankly I don't care.  
  
Also - revolvers aren't around either. I know. Promise.  
  
I know that they didn't have revolvers during this time, but I'm not going for historical accuracy - I'm going for drama. Just remember that. I AM NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE! For heaven's sake - don't curse me out because Russian Roulette came out November 10, 1807 (I really don't know when it came out - so ha)! Drama... drama... drama... :)  
  
However, if you would like to tell me when it came out - I'd be more than happy to know - I just don't want anybody yelling at me for something that I already know that I'm doing. *smile*  
  
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Chapter 19 : Russian Roulette  
  
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_  
  
A small man with no right eye watched as Captain Cat headed towards her cabin. As soon as the door slammed shut, he turned and faced Will and Elizabeth. He grinned a toothless grin and pulled out his sword. The smallest of all the men had the ability to look the fiercest and most like death then any of the others.  
  
Elizabeth tried to hold back her tears, but they continued to fall in fear... as well as anguish.   
  
All Will wanted to do was hold Elizabeth. That was all he wanted to do. And, so close to their death, he couldn't even try and comfort her.  
  
The man continued to walk closer and stood right in front of Will. He placed the cutlass under Will's chin and lifted it to where Will would look up instead of down.  
  
"Scared?" The deep guttural growl came bellowing out.  
  
Will just stared back in hate. Scared? Of course he was scared, but he would never show that to these pirates.  
  
"Want me t'get Sparrow?" How the pirate was talking was beyond Will. A tooth flew out of the man's mouth when he said 'Sparrow'... Will glared at the pirate.  
  
"Get'im lads!" It seemed as if the entire ship shook when he would talk.  
  
______  
  
*  
  
______  
  
Catharine sat in the cabin, waiting to hear screams. She could hear one of the crew bellowing out something - she really wasn't paying that much attention. Considering that she was more on the inside and not in control of her own body.  
  
"Ye made a mistake." Her mouth spoke, out of no control of her own.  
  
Did not, she thought.  
  
"Oh, but ye did." Her hand traveled over a map and landed on a small island off the cost of the America's. She knew from her previous doings that it was supposed to have treasure. Barbossa was going to continue to pillage and plunder under her name. "I was goin' to inhabit that low-life scum o' a pirate."  
  
There was a pause. Cat looked through her eyes; they were her only outlet from her prison. The prison of her own body. Of course, lately to keep herself from going insane, she had stared blankly out through those eyes. If she saw her friends being hurt - she would be inclined to give in all the way, and her spirit would leave her own body.  
  
It was simple. Keep believing. But easier said then done. Being forced out of your own body... that's what had happened to Blackbeard. He slowly began to give up.  
  
But, no matter what. She had to continue to believe that she could get out. That she could excorcise the demons from her own body.   
  
"That Jack." The voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "I was goin' ter inhabit him. But ye went all noble."  
  
Good will triumph, she thought.  
  
"Right." A poisonous laugh escaped from her body, shaking and convulsing her. "Blackbeard continued ter think that 'e could over power me... mindless wretch o' a pirate if ye ask me."  
  
Believe... that was her only way to escape.  
  
"Ye can't escape me, luv." Her voice crackled and Barbossa's voice came out of her mouth. Her head turned involuntarily and looked at the mirror on the wall. Cat's eyes were no longer green, but yellow. The cruel yellow of Barbossa. "I am you."  
  
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*  
  
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"Come on, Cap'n..." A small man with one eye burst into the cabin that Jack was in. "Yer needed." The man smiled at Jack.  
  
Jack arched an eyebrow at the man. Not only was he one-eyed and ugly. But he was one-toothed and... well... he was still ugly. No doubt about that.  
  
Jack, despite all the pain and anguish he was going through, smiled back.  
  
"You know, Mate," Jack began as the pirate began to drag him out of the cabin. Jack didn't mind. Wasn't the first time he'd been dragged anywhere. It was almost like having ones on personal assistant. Almost. "Small guy like yerself shouldn't be a pirate. You should be doin' good in the world. Like... makin' rum! No shame in tha'... no shame at all. In fact - think I'm goin' ter change me mind on this whole thing. I am free of my Captain responsibilities and... I'm going into the Rum-Runnin' business. Run my rum all over... I'll call it... The Rum of Jack."  
  
"Eh, shut that 'ole in yer face!" The pirate spat at Jack, causing what Jack thought to be his last tooth to come flying out of his mouth.  
  
Jack wondered how the pirate could still talk.  
  
"How about - " Jack started up, but then saw Will and Elizabeth. "Will... Elizabeth!"  
  
The pirate smacked Jack down. Elizabeth screamed.  
  
"I said, shut yer mouth!"  
  
Jack layed there in shock. He looked towards Will and Elizabeth. He gave a small lopsided smile.  
  
Will shook his head, Jack was always trying to find some sort of good in things.  
  
"Mate - ye know - you *will* pay for that." Jack sat himself back up, but said no more.  
  
"Right." Came the bellowing reply. "Gents! Let's skin..."  
  
"What!?!"  
  
"Will!"  
  
"No..."  
  
Jack, Elizabeth, and Will said at the same time, respectively.  
  
"WAIT!"  
  
The three looked in the direction of the interruption that they were very thankful for.  
  
Captain Catharine came running down the stairs in a huge hurry, her face was flushed.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
"Why - Cap'n?" The small man was rather close to Elizabeth. He seemed willing to get the show on the road.  
  
"Because I said no. What more do you need from your Captain. I'll drop you down in the ranks, boy - don't snap back at me." Catharine put her hand in her shirt and pulled out a pistol.  
  
Will, Elizabeth, and Jack all glanced at each other. Was Catharine good again?  
  
"Say goodbye." She pulled the trigger and the one-eyed ugly man fell to the floor in a sputter.  
  
The crew all looked at her and began to back away. Had their Captain gone insane?  
  
Catharine threw the now empty pistol to the ground. The three captives watched it and then looked back up at Cat.  
  
"Catharine?" Elizabeth said meekly.  
  
Cat turned towards Elizabeth. "It is all going to be all right." Cat smiled and then began to laugh.  
  
The laugh of one so evil and so filled with hatred.  
  
"Bring Sparrow up to the deck. Larboard side." She smiled at Elizabeth. "Give one final goodbye to your friend."  
  
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*  
  
______  
  
"Why do ye want just me?" Jack said as he was being released from his bonds. "A duel, Barbossa? Is that what ye want?"  
  
"No, Jack." Cat's voice seemed so sweet and innocent. "You know me so much better than that. A duel? Why would I want to do that, when I have the latest trend of death at my fingertips."  
  
She spun around and had a gun in her hands.  
  
"Yer goin' to bloody shoot me?" Jack rolled his eyes and leaned up against the railing of the ship.  
  
"Oh - no." Cat smiled. "Much more than that." She showed Jack the gun; it looked different than an average pistol. "This is a revolver. See," She spun the cylinder and then opened it. "Look - these are bullets."  
  
She gave Jack five bullets and kept one for herself.  
  
"What are you up to?" Jack looked at the bullets in his hand. He really was up a creek without a paddle in the 'knowing what crazy-psycho Barbossa inhabiting Cat was doing'.  
  
"Watch, you put a bullet in one of the cartridges." She proceeded to do what she was saying. "You snap the revolving part back in to place and spin."  
  
The cylinder spun around. Jack figured it out.  
  
"A little game called Russian Roulette, my dear Captain Sparrow." She pointed the gun at Jack and smiled.  
  
Barbossa's voice then filled the air with its horrible rasp. "Birds only 'ave one life, Sparrow."  
  
Cat pulled the trigger. Only a click.  
  
Jack's eyes widened. This was serious. He wouldn't know when he would die, it would be in the next couple of minutes, but he didn't know when. This was torture and he knew it. And out of the many ways that he actually wanted to die... being shot was not one. He figured that death by raving lunatic sharks chasing him with candlesticks was better then... Jack stopped his thoughts. That had just been a dream, right? Almost - big piranha-like fish... sharks were. He had almost been bitten in half on the Isle.  
  
*click*  
  
Jack snapped out of his thoughts.  
  
"That's two. Four more to go." This was cruel punishment. It really was, but Barbossa loved it. Catharine could only look through her eyes and watch her friend...  
  
Stop it! she thought.   
  
"Oh, but I am having so much fun. Watch, I bet the next one is it." Cat said. Jack closed his eyes.  
  
*click*  
  
Catharine glared at the revolver. And pulled again.  
  
*click*  
  
"You are a lucky bastard, Sparrow." She smiled at him as he peeked through his eyelashes. "Only two more shots left."  
  
__________  
  
A/N: Okie-dokie. See - cool chapter right? Not historically accurate, but hey, what the heck, right? It was a nifty chapter.  
  
Am I evil for having a cliffy? Sure...  
  
******  
  
Next Chapter: Swashbuckling Swords 


	20. To the Fame

Disclaimer : I own nothing. I own nobody. I own Cat 'cause I made her and that be all.  
  
This would have been up last weekend, but I got a little on the busy side. Sorry, chaps and chapettes.   
  
However - I would like to thank every single one of my loyal reviewers. You guys rock my world. I would have discontinued IoS already if I didn't have y'all.  
  
Oh - slight change of Chapter Name. Hope you're not upset. Also - this is a short chapter.  
  
Anywho - I know I left Jack in a perilous sitch-ee-ation ('situation' for those who don't speak southern) - so I'll be getting back to the story.  
  
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Chapter 20 : To the Fame  
  
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"Do you think Jack is all right?" Elizabeth whispered to Will. Some of the pirates that were watching over them had been glaring at her for a while now. She felt rather self-conscious. Not that pirates bothered her... just the evil kind that wanted to kill you and inhabit your body. Those bothered her.  
  
"It's Jack." Will said with a slight shrug. "He has the best luck in the world."  
  
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*  
  
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Jack closed his eyes waiting for the end of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow to arrive. But, then it seemed that it wasn't respectable if he didn't at least face it with at least one eye open.  
  
Jack opened one eye to see what was happening. All he saw was a finger pull a trigger, but there wasn't even a sound. He figured he was dead. But then he figured he wasn't dead. Then he figured he was dead again - since there was no pain. But, then he knew he was alive. It was just one of those things. An epiphany of sorts. Jack knew that a person got about three in their lives and he wanted to use his well.  
  
"It's all by chance, i'n't?" Jack said with a sigh. "You have tried to kill me a good ... well ... a lot - "  
  
"Eleven god-forsaken times!" Cat through the revolver overboard. Jack could tell Barbossa was fuming.  
  
"Eleven?"  
  
"Yes - eleven! 2 mutinies, I tried to kill you twice in the caves back at the Isle de Muerta, I sent you off to get killed at the Isle of Spirits, I can't shoot you, and the other times were when I was your first mate! You had to know I had at least planned something different other than mutiny for the first 50 times!" Cat was screaming.  
  
"Not 50 mate... only 5 times." Jack was still calm. And considering Catharine was inches from his face screaming - that was a great feat. "You said it yerself. Eleven tries. Six plus five equals - "  
  
"I... do... not... care..."  
  
"I'm only tryin' t'help you, Barbossa." It was hard to say Barbossa when Catharine was only a few feet away, but Jack pushed that thought aside and gave a large toothy grin. "I know my numbers."  
  
"Kill 'em. If I can't do it, I will let somebody else do it."  
  
"Wait! What if we duel?"  
  
"What?" Catharine turned around to face Jack.   
  
"A duel."  
  
"A duel?"  
  
"Yes. A duel."  
  
"A duel?"  
  
"D - O - O - L. Duel."  
  
"A what?"  
  
"My God! A duel! D - O - O -" Jack was going for his spelling again.  
  
"That's not how you spell it, boy." Barbossa's voice spouted out from Catharine.  
  
"I wasn't spelling "it". I know how to spell "it"... I - T ."  
  
"If we duel, will ye stop tryin' ter spell words?" It seemed as if the slight idea of a duel was bringing Barbossa more towards the surface.  
  
"Give ol' Jack a S - O - R - D (A/N: sword - poor Jack can't spell) ... and I might jus' do what ye ask, Barbossa."  
  
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*  
  
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The pirate with no right eye was still lying on the floor... dead. Elizabeth heaved a sigh. They hadn't heard anything. Not a scream, not a shot, not a splash. Not a thing.  
  
"Will?"  
  
"Yes?" Will smiled at Elizabeth. How he could still even try to make others feel better when all hope was lost was beyond even her comprehension.  
  
"I think I have a... "   
  
"Now, lass - " A smarmy pirate kneeled down in front of her, looking her up and down. "Ye might want'a be keepin' quiet. We don't want another mishap like ol' Master Patch." The pirate pointed to the dead pirate on the floor. "Right 'specially if it be involvin' such a pretty lady like yerself."  
  
Elizabeth glared at the pirate. She'd show him.  
  
But, before she could say anything, they heard the first sound from the upper deck. It was the sound of boots pounding onto the wooden boards.  
  
"A duel..." Will whispered.  
  
______  
  
*  
  
______  
  
"I think ye've been improvin', Jack."   
  
"Well, thank you, Barbossa. Means a lot to a pirate like meself."  
  
The slight pause in fighting had given the two a second to take a breath and have a small chat.  
  
As the swords clashed back together Jack tried to fake-out Barbossa, but failed, and nearly lost a hand. Blood began to flow from the open wound on his hand.  
  
"Yer luck be dwindlin'!" Barbossa chortled.  
  
"Barbossa, this is to the death, right?"  
  
Jack came in for the lunge, but Barbossa parried. The sword flew out of Jack's hands and Catharine's foot shoved him down to the deck.  
  
"No. To the fame."  
  
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A/N: The 20th installment. Yeedawgy! I love my cute wittle PoTC fic. Also - I have some shameless plugging to do. I have another fic (LoTR/Angel Crossover) called 'Elf Seeress.' It's good - I think. But then again, I wrote it. It is, of course, an adventure story involving Cordelia Chase from Angel who now (b/c of the Powers That Be) is helping the helpless in Middle Earth. I just have to get things right with IoS and then Elf Seeress will be my thang.   
  
Of course IoS is gettin' a sequel (which deals with Mythology - oh, yeah - even the ancient Grecian gods get to be in PoTC). I'd tell the name, but yeah... someone might go and steal it. All them evil barnacle scrapers... ick. Hehe.  
  
So - now that I've talked (er... typed) your ear off. You may talk my ear off about the fic. All you have to do is hit the review button on your browser. Thank you. Have a nice day.  
  
******  
  
Next Chapter: An Escapade and a Stab 


	21. An Escapade and a Stab

Disclaimer : I don't own anything... except Cat and the story.  
  
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Chapter 21 : An Escapade and a Stab  
  
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"No. To the fame."  
  
Jack was confused. "What?"  
  
Catharine held up the sword to Jack's neck. "Yer known throughout the entire world - Jack. What does anybody know about Cap'n Barbossa? Nothing! Other than that pirate Jack Sparrow shot Barbossa, killin' 'em! Nobody will know anything about Barbossa, but they'll know more about the Black Cat than anybody. Take over a female pirate - ye don't get much o' those. Now, do ye Jack? Right special case, the lass was. Now I'll be the famous Catharine DeVries. The Black Cat that killed Jack Sparrow. The most famous of all pirates."   
  
Jack was still confused. "I'm famous?" The point of the sword was making him nervous. He already had a bloody hand, now he was going to have a bloody neck.  
  
"Yes. They don't want Barbossa's feet swingin'. It's yer head on a platter that they want. I give up yer body and I'll get money to start me off to pillagin' and plunderin'. Even got me some new crewmembers."  
  
"Barbossa - you - " Then it hit Jack. Catharine always had a dagger on her ankle. If he could get it -   
  
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*  
  
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Elizabeth's only escape from the roaming eyes of the pirates was to just stare at the floor. Staring. And even more staring. But it was becoming a bit boring - and while in her staring fits she would start to figure out different plans of escape.   
  
If she could ever get her hands free of the bonds. Or... if she could seduce one of the pirates. But then both had their setbacks. For one, what would they do if they got free? Also, she had dropped the "seduce pirate" plan in an instant. Will would get extremely jealous.  
  
Elizabeth leaned up against the chair that the pirates had recently moved her to. With a quick jump she sat back up, biting her lip. There was a certain something sharp on her chair.  
  
"What are ye gettin' all excited for?" One of the pirates stepped over the body of the still dead and one-eyed pirate. "Ready ter die, aye?" He pulled out a cutlass and pointed it at Elizabeth.  
  
Elizabeth, who didn't want to move from her chair, just shook her head and hoped that she looked scared. It seemed to work; the pirate gave her one last look and then was back off to drinking and playing cards.  
  
Horrid pirates, she thought, as she slowly leaned back to find the sharp part again. She was too busy worried about trying to cut the bonds that she was paying absolutely no attention to her surroundings.  
  
"AGH!" Elizabeth looked up and saw Will with the cutlass of the pirate who had threatened her. And that was all she saw. All the pirates were dead.  
  
Elizabeth's mouth dropped open.   
  
"No one threatens you and lives to tell the tale." Will said in a hushed voice. He was breathing a little hoarsely and gave Elizabeth a lopsided smile.  
  
Elizabeth sighed. "Well, the threatened one would like to be rescued by the one who did the rescuing..."   
  
She stopped. That was something Jack would say.  
  
"We need to find the crew and we need to save Jack." Will was ignoring Elizabeth's insane mindless Jack babble.  
  
"Of course." Elizabeth smiled as her hands were now in front of her, rather than behind her. "How did you get free?"  
  
"A certain dead pirate had a sharp boot buckle that did the job rather nicely." Will smiled as they stepped over the one-eyed, now dead, pirate.  
  
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*  
  
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Jack could feel the blood pouring from the wound from his hand. But, that was only on the backburner of his mind.  
  
Barbossa pressed the sword closer to Jack's neck. Jack was waiting for Barbossa's move.  
  
And then it came.  
  
When Barbossa pulled slightly back on the sword to push further into the skin of Jack, Jack rolled away from most certain death and grabbed the dagger. He couldn't get back up from the roll, so he stayed on the floor of the deck. But, he did manage to get a knee onto the deck to stop him from rolling.  
  
"Are you going to ask me to marry you?" Cat's voice rang out as Jack's equilibrium straightened out.  
  
Jack looked at his stance. Other than the both of them with sharp objects in hand... Jack did look like he was asking Catharine to marry him.  
  
"And your answer?" Jack smirked.  
  
"A hell o' a no." Barbossa's eyes gleamed as he swung the sword around and Jack rolled again to avoid another cut.  
  
Jack finally found a position to lift himself up from. He threw the dagger that he had at Cat and hit her in the leg. The sword slipped from her hand and Jack was now above Cat with the tip of the sword at her neck.  
  
The blood from his hand was now around the handle of the sword. Jack was rather proud that it looked so menacing. He had something going for him.   
  
"Ye do know, Jack," Barbossa began. "If I die, she dies. If she dies, I die. Consider yerself warned."  
  
"Shut up." Jack's eyes narrowed. "You're just sayin' that."  
  
"Jack!" Jack heard Elizabeth's and Will's voice behind him.  
  
"You don't want to kill me in front of them, do you?" Catharine's eyes looked frightened, but Jack knew it was an act.  
  
There was no other way. Even if Barbossa was telling the truth.  
  
With a rush and a stab, Jack plunged the sword into Catharine's stomach.  
  
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A/N: I am nearly done with IoS. But don't worry - like I've said many times before - sequel in the makes. In fact, I'm already about 1/3 of the way through it. Expect a lot of cool stuff to happen...  
  
But back to IoS - read and review. Sorry for the lack of updates. I get really busy and just can't get to my computer to type stuff up. Snow Day today - thus a free day where I can write about 2 chapters for this and for Elf Seeress (if you like LoTR and Angel - go read it - yes, I know - shameless plugging). Then I can write more for the sequel to IoS.  
  
******  
  
Next Chapter: At Death's Door 


	22. At Death's Door

Disclaimer : Disney has rightful ownership of the majority of this stuff. I don't claim to own anything that is theirs. I do own the story and Cat.  
  
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Chapter 22 : At Death's Door  
  
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With a rush and a stab, Jack plunged the sword into Catharine's stomach.  
  
Catharine's eyes grew wide with pain. A gasp escaped from her lips and the yellow eyes went to Cat's naturally green eyes. Her mouth opened in agony as she looked down at her wound.  
  
"Jack!" Elizabeth ran towards the scene.  
  
Catharine turned her head slowly towards Elizabeth and began to laugh. The yellow coming back.  
  
"That's right, me lad, give her more pain than what she be already goin' through." Barbossa laughed again.  
  
Jack withdrew the sword and with a flick of his wrist he stabbed Catharine again. This time he began to twist the sword, creating an uncloseable wound.  
  
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*  
  
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"NO!" Barbossa's thoughts rang out in Catharine's mind. Catharine felt the pain, but she also felt immense happiness that she was now no longer being inhabited.  
  
"I told you that good would triumph." Catharine thought, but another burst of pain shot over her.  
  
"Ye'd rather us both die?" Barbossa's panicked stricken voice filled her ears. She still loved a good distressed person. Brought back the good ol' memories.  
  
"You wanted me dead - I want you dead. It's fitting that we both die. That way you don't have my body and I don't die and have someone take over my body."   
  
"I'll see ye in hell." Barbossa's voice echoed off the walls of her mind.  
  
"Not if I see you first."  
  
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*  
  
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Barbossa's eyes rolled back and Catharine's mouth opened wide. A small wisp of black smoke slithered from her open mouth. It swirled around in the wind and then dispersed.  
  
Jack heard Barbossa's final words, "Fame... is... no... more..."  
  
Catharine's coughing, brought him back to reality. He kneeled down beside her and motioned for Elizabeth and Will to come to her side.  
  
Elizabeth was crying and Will was nearly on the verge of tears.  
  
Catharine's breathing was labored and she could still see the sword jutting from her stomach.  
  
"Pull it out." Catharine continued to look straight forward up into the sky.   
  
"I'm sorry." Jack said as he withdrew the sword for a second time.  
  
Catharine's hands began to shake. She knew that she was going to die. There was no more magic... no more spirit... no more hope.  
  
"You beat the bad guy, Jack." Cat forced a smile. "And it wasn't ... ah ... and accident." She could feel her lungs filling up with blood. Breathing was slowly becoming a chore.  
  
"Where's Elizabeth and Will?" Cat choked.  
  
"Catharine." Elizabeth took Catharine's hand and leaned over so that Cat could see her. "I'm right here."  
  
"And I'm here." Will said as he stroked her forehead.  
  
"I love you both..." Cat began to cough again. "Both dearly. I hope you two - oh, God - "  
  
Catharine shook her head. She had to say what she had to say.  
  
"I hope you two have a wonderful life together... make sure you watch over Jack though."  
  
"I can take care of myself, just fine." Jack said in defense, but it was barely above a whisper.  
  
"REAMP!"  
  
Catharine nearly died from a heart attack, not the wounds.  
  
"Reamp! Polly loves Cat... Reamp! Barnacles!" The parrot flew down and perched himself on Jack's shoulder.  
  
"I think that means goodbye." Jack said.  
  
Catharine looked as if she wanted to say something, but her body went limp and her eyes stared up and into the sky.  
  
Elizabeth began to cry and Will took her away from Cat's body.  
  
Jack sighed and looked up. His crew from the Black Pearl were all watching with watery eyes.  
  
"Reamp... rough waters... reamp." Even the parrot seemed to be taking it pretty badly.  
  
"Alright, men - let's set up a funeral for Miss DeVries.  
  
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A/N: A death! Yeah - Cat's dead. I'm really sad that I killed her off, but y'know. A writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do.  
  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
  
Read & Review!  
  
******  
  
Next Chapter: Down to the Depth's of Davy Jones' Locker 


	23. Down to the Depths of Davy Jones' Locker

Disclaimer : Disney has rightful ownership of the majority of this stuff. I don't claim to own anything that is theirs. I do own the story and Cat.  
  
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Chapter 23 : Down to the Depths of Davy Jones' Locker  
  
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The crew, but especially Will and Jack, built a very rough casket for Cat's body. Elizabeth had wanted to give Catharine a proper burial, but Jack had to explain to her that they would not be able to do anything of the sort. They would hang Cat's body up for all to see or burn the body in front of a mass of people. Elizabeth shuddered at the thought and decided that an oceanic tomb was better than having the body be treated as such.  
  
"Elizabeth?" Will embraced Elizabeth in a huge hug. "How are you?"  
  
"I am doing better - it's a new experience." She said in a whisper. "I only knew Catharine for a few months, but she..."  
  
"Stop."   
  
"What?" Elizabeth turned around to face Jack.  
  
"Let's not talk about it." Jack said with a solemn expression on his tan face. "We're on our way back to the Isle de Muerta. Just so ye know."  
  
"Aye." Will nodded his head.  
  
"Wait." Elizabeth turned Jack around to face her. "Why are we going back?"  
  
"The monkey has the last piece of Aztec gold. Best not upset ol' Cortez by not bringin' it back." Jack said with a half smile.  
  
"The monkey?" Will knew all too well the appearance of the monkey.  
  
"Aye - the monkey."  
  
"Jack?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Not you - I mean - Jack the Monkey?"  
  
"Aye."  
  
"You have the monkey?" Will's eyes opened wide.  
  
"That's what I've been tellin' ye." Jack shrugged in disbelief at Will. How much slower and more stupid could the blacksmith get?  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Right - goin' to put back the gold."  
  
"I heard that part." Will huffed.  
  
"Just in case ye missed it." Jack turned on his heels. He really wasn't in the mood for talking. "Whelp of a eunuch."  
  
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That night at sea the entire crew of the Black Pearl had a funeral for Catharine DeVries. They stripped her of her title of "The Black Cat" - she was too good for that. Of course, no other would know of the ceremony and that she was no longer evil, but it was better that way.   
  
"To a great pirate." Jack took off his hat and looked up at the moon. The moonlight made him look pale and very tired.  
  
"Down to the depths of Davy Jones' locker... may the grave of Catharine DeVries be left undisturbed." Elizabeth said under her breath as she watched the casket be lowered into the water as if it were a small boat. The casket floated for a few minutes and slowly began to drift down... down... and down. Down into the abyss of darkness and sea monsters. The one and only... Davy Jones' locker.   
  
The crew was silent for a few more minutes after the casket was no longer seen. Finally - Captain Sparrow felt that the mourning had gone on long enough.  
  
"All sails up - we sail to de Muerta."   
  
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"Reamp! Aztec! Reamp!" The parrot flew to Sparrow and landed on his shoulder. "REAMP!"  
  
"That's right, mate." Jack puffed out his chest. "We're here."  
  
The crew all made their way into the very familiar caves... to where the forsaken treasure of Cortez would always hold its curse. One lone skeleton lay on a pile of treasure - the skeleton of the long dead body of the infamous Captain Barbossa. His spirit could not even haunt the place of his death... for hell had swallowed him whole as soon as he had been exorcised from Catharine's body.  
  
Jack was carrying Jack the Monkey buy his tale. The monkey wasn't giving up too easily - considering it knew that some of its blood must be shed.  
  
Will took a small knife and cut the shoulder of the monkey and let some of the blood pour onto the last piece of Aztec gold. Will, then placed the gold in the monkey's hand and the monkey screeched as the gold fell with a soft clink into the chest.  
  
Jack then put the top of the chest back on and the crew all stared at Jack, waiting for his next move. He looked at the monkey. The monkey looked at him.  
  
"Are you willin' to risk all danger and become a part of me crew, Jack the Monkey?" Jack kneeled down to the small creature that was holding it's wounded shoulder.  
  
The monkey nodded and screeched again.  
  
"Cross yer heart and hope to die?" Jack's kohl-painted eyes loomed menacingly.  
  
The monkey furiously nodded again.  
  
"Stick a needle in your eye?" Will piped up.  
  
Jack looked at Will like he had 50 heads. "I'll handle this, if you don't mind, Mr. Turner."  
  
Jack then focused all his attention back on the monkey. He leaned in and was face to face with the monkey. "Stick a needle in yer eye?"  
  
The monkey tilted his head to one side.  
  
"For God's sake! Answer a man! Yes or no, boy... er... monkey!"  
  
The monkey put a finger to his eye and nodded.  
  
"Right - we have an accord, then?"  
  
Jack and Jack shook hands.  
  
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"So what now, Captain Sparrow?" Elizabeth looked out over the side of the ship as they left the Isle de Muerta... never to return.  
  
"Another adventure, I hope." Jack said with a slight smile on his face. It was rather hard to put a death of one close to the side, but he was a pirate. He had dealt with many a death before. He could handle it . . .  
  
"Perhaps you could drop us off back at Port Royale." Will said as he approached the two, inviting himself into the conversation.  
  
"Whatever ye two want."  
  
"Whatever we want?" Elizabeth smiled. "Perhaps you could get us a ship as well - so that we may have our own adventures."  
  
"I'm hurt, love." Jack took in a deep breath of the salty sea air. "My adventures not good enough for your taste?"  
  
"Too much adventure could be a bother..." Will said.  
  
"Or death." Elizabeth sighed.  
  
Jack smiled as he looked out over the sea. The sun would be setting shortly and it would rise... opening up to new day. A new adventure.  
  
"Death in itself is also an adventure."   
  
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A/N: Well - one more chapter folks and IoS is going to be through. I've lost some reviewers... and I've been doing good at updating... I'm sad.  
  
I finally am at the end. I am so excited about starting a sequel. You won't have to read IoS to know what's going on - but I probably will refer back to a few things every now and again. But nothing that will freak anybody out. So tell you're friends that the pirates are going to have an epic tale of god-like proportions. It's gonna be a wild myth... yeehaw.  
  
:: begins to slowly die without reviews ::  
  
'Tis only curteous to review after you read. I don't care if you just say... "yo". Seriously.  
  
******  
  
Next Chapter - Epilogue: A Siren of the Sea 


	24. Epilogue: A Siren of the Sea

Disclaimer : Disney has rightful ownership of the majority of this stuff. I don't claim to own anything that is theirs. I do own the story and Cat.  
  
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Chapter 24 -- Epilogue: A Siren of the Sea  
  
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Percius Rolffe watched as the sun set on another day. The day had been the same as it had been yesterday. And yesterday had been the same as the day before... and so on and so forth. But, Percy knew that tomorrow was bringing in a new adventure. They were to be hitting the waters of the Caribbean soon.   
  
Percy smiled as he sat down on the rail. He imagined himself crossing blades with a pirate and after beating the scoundrel, he saw himself being honored with numerous awards for bravery and skill. He could hear them cheer for him... "Percius Rolffe - bravest of us all!"   
  
"Rolffe?" A voice startled Percy out of his stupor. With a whip of his head, he saw the captain of The Queen Mary - the finest ship in all of His Majesty's navy, Percy would stake his life on that too.   
  
"Yes, Captain Kibbet?"  
  
"No need for formalities, boy, you know I have told you time and time again that you can call me Thomas." Thomas smiled. "I only ask to be called Captain when I'm in front of the King, is all."  
  
"Yes, sir." Percy smiled back.  
  
Percy felt so lucky to be a part of The Queen Mary's crew. Any sailor, who was in his right mind, prayed night and day to be a part of Thomas Kibbet's ship. Not only was the ship glorious and beautiful, but the Captain was an easy-going sort that was only riled up by disobedience, storms, and following the formal codes of the high class.  
  
There was a story about Kibbet going out to sea and being hit by a hurricane. He cursed and screamed at every wave that even thought of coming close to his ship, his crew had said. And then when they had been lucky enough to get out of the storm, the Captain was jolly and good-natured again.  
  
"What are you doing out here?" Captain Kibbet thumbed towards the kitchens. "Cooks got us some food - freshly caught."  
  
"Like always." They both said with a short chortle. It was a running joke on the boat. Every night the crew would have freshly caught fish. Percy knew that if he had been on land, then it wouldn't be as funny, but being on the ocean for a few good months was enough to make a man go a little insane.  
  
"Hurry up, before it's all gone." And with that, Kibbet left. Percy could smell the food. There would be rum, fish, and bread. Sometimes they would get a vegetable - not much - since Cook was always trying to salvage the vegetables so that they could eat them throughout the journey.  
  
Percy turned back to face the sea. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. The sun was nearly set and the ocean sparkled from the rays. But, there was one black box in all of the majestic sparkle. It was half-floating and half-sinking. Percy squinted his eyes... it was a coffin.  
  
He was amazed that a coffin would be floating out in the middle of the Caribbean. Percy continued to stare at the coffin - hoping that he wouldn't see a body and yet hoping he would.   
  
"Percy..." There was a soft call, which seemed to come from the ocean itself. Percy looked over the edge of the great ship.  
  
"Hello!" Percy called. He waited, but there was no answer. Right when he was about to leave, he heard the most beautiful sound. A woman was singing. She wanted him to swim with her. Percy shook the thought out of his head, but as the voice continued; it became more beautiful and even more beautiful.   
  
The voice was so soothing and so peaceful. Before he knew it - he was in the water. The voice was now underneath the water. He must swim to find this woman! He loved her with every beat of his heart and his love was growing by the second.  
  
He didn't even take a breath before going under. He could see her, though faintly through the water. She reached out for him and took his hand. Her hand was so soft, so warm, so welcoming.  
  
She began to take him deeper under the water. Percy could feel his lungs beginning to ache, but the woman continued to take him further into the depths of the ocean.  
  
Finally - she stopped swimming - and turned to face him. Her face was ugly and contorted, Percy knew that he had been pulled into a trap. He tried to swim to the surface, but the strong grip of the woman did not weaken. His brain forced himself to breathe in the water.   
  
He was drowning.  
  
Drowning. What a way to die.  
  
The woman's hair surrounded him as his eyes began to slowly close. The fiery red hair of the devil herself, he thought. As he tried to swim away one last time, he opened his eyes and found two green eyes shining at him. The woman's eyes. The murderer's eyes. The Sea Siren.   
  
And as the last rays of the sun hit the ocean's crest - the sun set on Percius Rolffe, 2nd Lieutenant of The Queen Mary, son and brother, and follower of the song of the Siren.  
  
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A/N: Ooh. This is mainly just a tease for the sequel. Hope you all liked it. :)  
  
Remember - reviews = faster updates = quicker sequel chapters.  
  
******  
  
Next Chapter (title of first chapter in IoS's sequel): He Shall Be A God 


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